/f/f 


Hesop's  Cables 


from  ©rigfnal  Sources 
*2  tbe 

"Rev.  Gbomas  5ames,  flfo. 


THIlitb  more  tban  ©nc  1bun^rc^  flllustrations 
DesicjncS  b^ 

$obn  Jennie! 


•Rew 

JTbe  platt  &  pecft  Co. 


UST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PACK 

The  Fox  and  the  Grapes 21 

The  Wolf  and  the  Crane 9$ 

The  Fox  and  the  Goat 25 

The  Vain  Jackdaw 27 

The  Mountain  in  Labor  .......29 

The  Old  Hound 31 

The  Cock  and  the  Jewel 33 

The  Eagle  and  the  Fox 35 

The  Countryman  and  the  Snake 37 

The  Man  and  the  Satyr 39 

The  Fighting-Cocks  and  the  Eagle.     (Two  Illustra- 
tions)        41 

The  Dog  and  the  Shadow 43 

The  Wolf  and  the  Lamb 45 

The  Country  Mouse  and  the  Town  Mouse ...  47 

The  Lion  and  the  Mouse 52 

The  House-Dog  and  the  Wolf 54 

The  Frog  and  the  Ox 57 

The  Tortoise  and  the  Eagle .59 

The  Hare  and  the  Tortoise     .        .       ...       .61 

The  Shepherd-Boy  and  the  Wolf 63 

V 


2056680 


vi  TLiBt  of  Ifllustrationa 

The  Old  Woman  and  the  Wine- Jar      ....  65 

The  Fox  and  the  Woodman 67 

The  Crow  and  the  Pitcher «  69 

The  One-Eyed  Doe 71 

The  Travellers  and  the  Bear  , 73 

The  Stag  ill  the  Ox-Stall 75 

The  Collier  and  the  Fuller 77 

The  Ass  and  the  Lap-Dog       ......  79 

The  Wind  and  the  Sun     (Two  illustrations')       .        .  8l 

The  Trees  and  the  Axe 83 

The  Lion  in  Love      ........  85 

The  Wolves  and  the  Sheep 87 

The  Belly  and  the  Members 89 

Hercules  and  the  Wagoner 91 

The  Fox  without  a  Tail 93 

The  Hares  and  the  Frogs 95 

The  Angler  and  the  Little  Fish 97 

The  Husbandman  and  the  Stork 99 

The  Nurse  and  the  Wolf 103 

The  Bundle  of  Sticks 107 

The  Man  and  the  Lion 109 

The  Horse  and  the  Stag Ill 

The  Mischievous  Dog 113 

The  Herdsman  and  the  Lost  Bull 115 

The  Oak  and  the  Reed H7 

Mercury  and  the  Woodman 119 

The  Lion  and  Other  Beasts  Hunting   ....  123 
The  Country  Maid  and  her  Milk-Can.    (Two Illus- 
trations)       ........    125,  136 


tiet  of  Illustrations  vii 

The  Thief  and  his  Mother 128 

The  Cat  and  the  Mice      .......  130 

The  Dog  in  the  Manger 133 

The  I,ion,  the  Bear,  and  the  Fox 135 

The  Goose  with  the  Golden  Eggs         ....  137 

The  Trumpeter  Taken  Prisoner 139 

The  Dog  Invited  to  Supper 143 

The  Frogs  Asking  for  a  King        .....  145 

The  I<ark  and  her  Young  Ones     .....  148 

The  Thief  and  the  Dog 151 

The  Old  Man  and  Death 153 

The  Birds,  the  Beasts,  and  the  Bat       .       .       .       .155 

The  Two  Pots 157 

The  Arab  and  the  Camel         ......  159 

The  Travellers  and  the  Hatchet 161 

The  Ass  and  his  Driver 165 

The  Hart  and  the  Vine 167 

The  Fox  and  the  Mask 169 

The  Horse  and  the  leaded  Ass     .       .       .        .        .171 

The  Eagle  and  the  Jackdaw 175 

The  Heifer  and  the  Ox.    (Two  Illustration^)      .        .  177 

The  Fox  and  the  Stork .  179 

The  Bull  and  the  Goat 181 

The  Jackass  in  Office       .......  183 

The  Quack  Frog       ........  187 

The  Ass  in  the  Icon's  Skin     .       .       .       .       .       .189 

The  Boy  Bathing 191 

The  Mouse  and  the  Weasel    ......  193 

The  Charger  and  the  Ass 195 


viii  Xi0t  of  flllustrattons 

Venus  and  the  Cat 197 

The  Great  and  the  Little  Fishes 199 

The  Ass,  the  Cock,  and  the  Lion 201 

The  Blackamoor 205 

The  Leopard  and  the  Fox 207 

The  Man  and  his  Two  Wives 211 

The  Vine  and  the  Goat 213 

The  Fox  and  the  Crow 215 

The  Ass's  Shadow.    (Two  Illustrations)       .       .    217,218 

The  Lion  and  the  Bulls   .......  219 

The  Shepherd  and  the  Sea 221 

The  Old  Woman  and  her  Maids 223 

The  Miser 225 

The  Wild  Boar  and  the  Fox 227 

The  Boasting  Traveller 229 

The  Stag  at  the  Pool 231 

The  Old  Lion 233 

Mercury  and  the  Sculptor 235 

The  Wolf  and  the  Shepherds 237 

The  Astronomer 238 

The  Miller,  his  Son,  and  their  Ass.    (Six  IHustra- 

tiuns) 239,  240,  241,  242,  243 


ySJsopi  ingentem  statuam  posuere  Attici, 
Servumque  collocarunt  aeterna  in  basi : 
Patere  honor)  scirent  ut  cuncti  viam, 
Necg-eneri  trihni  sed  virtuti  gloriam. 


INTRODUCTION 

TO 

THE  LIFE  AND  FABLES  OF 

I N  the  days  of  Croesus,  King  of  Lydia,  when 

Amasis  was  Pharaoh  of  Egypt,  atid  Peisis- 

tratus  lorded  it  over  the  Athenians, — between 

« 

five  and  six  hundred  years  before  the  Christian 
era, — lived  ^SOPUS,  no  inapt  representative  of 
the  great  social  and  intellectual  movement  of 
the  age  which  he  adorned. 

Born  a  slave,  with  no  outward  circumstances 
of  fortune  to  recommend  him  to  the  notice  of 
the  great,  he  forced  his  way  by  his  mother-wit 
into  the  courts  of  princes,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  a  fame,  more  universal,  and  perhaps 
more  lasting  in  its  influence,  than  that  of  all 
the  Seven  Wise  Men  of  Greece,  his  worthy 
cotetnporaries. 


2  Ifntrofcuction 

Up  to  this  time,  whatever  wisdom  from  with 
out  had  guided  the  councils  of  princes,  had 
been  derived  from  the  traditionary  lore  of 
courts,  or  from  the  verses  of  bards,  hallowed  b} 
time,  or  impromptued  for  the  occasion.  •  Writ- 
ing was  as  yet  only  known  in  the  inscription 
on  the  public  marble,  or  on  the  private  tablet. 
Religion  and  History  were  handed  down  from 
mouth  to  mouth,  and,  the  better  to  be  remem- 
bered, were  committed  to  metre.  With  the 
sixth  century  before  Christ  commences  the  era 
of  Written  Classic  Literature.  The  great  con- 
vulsion of  the  Eastern  nations,  and  the  first 
direct  and  sustained  intercourse  of  the  Oriental 
with  the  Grecian  mind,  tended  to  call  forth  all 
the  latent  energies  of  either  people.  New 
combinations  of  governments,  and  strange 
commixtures  of  races,  required  new  systems 
of  politics,  and  more  stringent  and  definite 
laws.  Hence  this  is  the  age  of  Wise  Men  and 
of  Prose.  Even  wealthy  Croesus  discovered 
that  knowledge  is  power,  and  assembled 
around  him  from  every  nation  all  who  had 
gained  a  reputation  for  superior  wisdom. 


flntrofcuction  3 

The  flights  of  imagination  began  to  give  way 
to  the  serious  business  of  life.  It  was  an  age 
of  grave  talkers  and  inquisitive  travellers, — of 
gathering  the  works  of  the  great  Poets  to  pre- 
serve the  wisdom  of  antiquity,  and  of  collecting 
facts  for  the  use  of  the  new  order  of  things. 
Distinctions  of  birth  and  country  were  less 
heeded,  and  Wit  was  listened  to  even  from  the 
lips  of  a  foreign  slave.  It  was  even  able  to 
emancipate  itself,  not  only  from  the  bondage 
of  custom,  but  from  actual  bodily  slavery,  and 
^Usop  came  to  the  court  of  Croesus,  from  his 
old  master  ladmon,  a  free  man — working  his 
way  to  fame  by  a  more  honorable  road  than 
that  of  his  fellow-servant  "Rhodopis  the  Fair," 
the  celebrity  of  whose  beauty  and  wealth  at  such 
a  time  tells  in  a  word  how  she  had  abused  the 
one  and  acquired  the  other.*  ylvsop's  fame  had 
probably  preceded  him,  but  less  as  a  Sage  than 
as  a  Wit.  He  seems  a  stepping-stone  between 
the  poetry  which  had  gone  before,  and  the 
prose  that  followed,  making  the  politics  and 
morals  of  the  day  his  study,  but  clothing  his 
*  Herod.,  II.,  134,  135. 


4  flntro&uction 

lectures  in  the  garb  of  Imagination  and  Fancy. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  he  quickly  grew  in  favor 
with  Croesus  by  the  mode  in  which  he  imparted 
his  knowledge.  While  Solon  held  the  school 
master's  rod  over  the  philosophical  monarch, 
^53sop  conciliated  alike  his  will  and  his  reason 
by  timely  drollery  and  subtlely  conveyed  ad- 
vice.* To  this  freedom  from  avowed  dictation 
was  added  a  little  well-directed  flattery.  He 
knew  that  to  be  tolerated  in  courts  he  must 
.speak  to  please,  or  not  speak  at  all  f  ;  and 
when  all  the  Seven  Sages  had  given  judgment, 
the  Phrygian  was  sometimes  set  down  as  a  bet- 
ter man  than  they  all.J 

If  we  should  hence  look  upon  him  as  little 
more  than  a  court-jester,  we  shall  be  doing  him 
great  wrong.  He  came  to  amuse,  but  he  re- 
mained to  instruct ;  and  Crresus  probably 
learnt  more  home-truths  from  his  fictions, £ 
than  from  all  the  serious  disquisitions  of  his 
retained  philosophers.  Wherever  he  went  he 

*  nai£u»'  ev  inrovSfj.  -  Agathiae  Bpigr.  ap.  Brunk. 

j-  w?  jj/ciora  ij  a>?  TI&KTTO..-  Plutar.  Vlt.  Sol.,  p.  94. 

I  fj.a\\ov  6  *pu£.  Suid.  in  voc. — Apostolius  Cent.  XII. 
adag. 

§  oo</>ot«  pvfotcucoi  Tr\a.<rtia.<Ti  Kaipia.  Ae'fas — Agath.  Eptgr. 


UntroDuction  5 

lifted  up  his  voice  in  the  same  strain.  At  Cor- 
inth he  warned  his  hearers  against  mob-law  in 
a  fable  which  Socrates  afterwards  turned  into 
verse.*  At  Athens,  by  the  recital  of  "The 
Frogs  and  Jupiter,"  he  gave  a  lesson  both  to 
prince  and  people. f  His  visit  to  Delphi  seems 
to  have  had  less  of  a  political  object.  He  was 
sent  as  a  commissioner  by  Croesus  to  distribute 
some  payment  due  to  the  Delphians,f  and  in 
the  discharge  of 'this  duty  incurred  the  displeas- 
ure of  the  citizens  of  that  world' s-centre, — 
whose  character  seems  to  have  been  at  all  times 
but  little  in  accordance  with  the  sacred  priv- 
ileges they  assumed.  Probably  even  more 
from  fear  of  his  wit  than  from  displeasure  at 
his  award, — and,  judging  from  the  event,  with- 
out any  plea  of  justice, — the  Delphians  raised 
against  him  the  vulgar  cry,  too  often  successful, 
of  impiety  and  sacrilege.  For  once  his  ready 
weapon  failed  in  its  effect.  He  is  said  to  have 
appealed  to  their  reverence  for  the  laws  of  hos- 
pitality by  the  Fable  of  "  The  Eagle  and  the 

*  Plat.  Phaed  ,  c.  12. — Diog.  Laert.,.11.,  42. 

fPhsedr.,  I.,  2. 

i  Aristoph.  Vesp.,  1446  — schol.  ad  loc. 


6  Untrobuction 

Beetle,"  the  germ  probably  of  the  existing 
story,  but  he  appealed  in  vain.  Their  craft  was 
in  danger,  and  the  enraged  guardians  of  the 
temple  of  the  great  God  of  Greece,  hurled  the 
unfortunate  Fable-maker  headlong  from  one  of 
the  Phsedrian  precipices.* 

He  was  not  unavenged.  Plagues  cursed  the 
scene  of  his  murder,  and  the  conscience-smit- 
ten Delphians,  many  years  afterwards,  seeing 
in  their  calamities,  as  well  they  might,  a  pun- 
ishment for  their  evil  deed,  proclaimed,  again 
and  again,  their  readiness  to  give  compensation 
for  his  death  to  any  one  who  could  prove  a  title 
to  the  self-imposed  fine.  No  other  claimant 
appearing,  it  was  awarded  at  length  to  ladmon, 
the  grandson  of  ladmon  of  Hephsestopolis, 
y^sop's  old  master,  j  The  proverb  of  "^3$sop's 
blood  "  in  after-times  gave  warning  to  his  coun- 
trymen, that  a  murdered  man's  blood  will  not 
cry  to  heaven  in  vain.J 

There  are  no  further  authentic  notices  of 
^Ksop's  life,  but  there  are  abundant  proofs  of 

*  Babrii  frag.  ap.  Apollon. — Suid.  v.  *atSpias. 
Zonaras,  p.  90. 


f  Herod.,  II."  134. 
t  \io 


fntrotmctfon  7 

the  estimation  in  which  his  words  were  held  by 
the  Athenians  for  many  generations  afterwards. 
To  be  able  to  tell  a  good  story  of  .Sjsop  at  the 
club  was  an  indispensable  accomplishment  of 
an  Athenian  gentleman  ;  and  he  who  had  not 
got  JEsop's  Fables  at  his  fingers'  ends  was 
looked  upon  as  an  illiterate  dunce.*  Indeed,  to 
such  an  excess  did  this  fickle  and  news-loving 
people  run  after  an  ^sopian  Fable,  that  there  is 
no  weakness  of  theirs  more  severely  lashed  than 
this  by  their  satirists  both  in  verse  and  prose. 
His  practical  wisdom  was,  however,  as  much 
regarded  as  his  caustic  humor ;  and  the  com- 
mon tradition,  that  he  appeared  alive  again  and 
fought  at  Thermopylae,  tells  more  for  the  honor 
in  which  he  was  held  as  a  patriot  than  a  hundred 
authentic  anecdotes,  f 

About  two  hundred  years  after  his  death  a 
statue  of  JEjsop,  the  workmanship  of  Lysippus, 
was  erected  at  Athens,  and  was  placed  in  front 
of  the  statues  of  the  Seven  Sages.  J 

The  ridiculous  particulars  of  his  life  and  per- 

*  Aristoph.  Vesp.,  1260.  Av.,  471. 

t  Suid.  W.      AIO-IOTTOS ava.fii.S>va.i. 

I  Phzedr.,  II.  Ep.    Agath.  Epigr. 


8  Untro&uctton 

son,  as  they  are  commonly  given,  are  but  a  com- 
pilation, made  in  the  middle  ages,  of  sorry  jokes 
borrowed  from  various  quarters,  with  enough  of 
older  fact  and  tradition  to  give  them  a  sort  of 
plausible  consistency.  The  whole  has  been 
attributed  to  the  imagination  of  Planudes,  a 
monk  of  the  fourteenth  century  ;  but  there 
seems  little  reason  for  believing  that  he  did 
more  than  collect  what  he  found  already  made 
to  his  hand. 

JEsop's  personal  deformity  and  swarthy  com. 
plexion  have  not  the  slightest  testimony  from 
ancient  authority.  The  negative  evidence, 
which  in  this  case  is  strong,  tells  all  the 
other  way;  though  Bentley  has  carried  his 
argument  rather  too  far  in  trying  hence  to 
prove  that  he  must  have  been  remarkably 
handsome.*  The  oldest  authority  in  which 
his  person  is  mentioned  speaks  of  his  face 
and  voice  as  contributing  as  much  as  his 
stories  to  the  amusement  of  his  company,  f 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  u3jsop  was  abso- 
lutely the  inventor  of  Fable.  J  Under  this  form, 

*  Dissert.  J&&.  Works,  II.,  236. 
t  Himer.  Oral.,  XIII. 
J"  Babr.  procem  ,"  II.,  I. 


flntrofcuctfon  9 

more  or  less  developed,  the  earliest  knowledge 
of  every  nation — at  least  of  every  Eastern 
nation — has  been  handed  down.  Poverty  of 
language  would,  in  the  first  instance,  necessi- 
tate the  use  of  Metaphor,  and  the  Simile  would 
follow,  not  far  removed  from  Parable  and  Fable. 
The  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  habits 
of  wild  beasts,  natural  to  an  uncivilized  life, 
would  also  suggest  illustrations  to  be  drawn 
from  the  ways  of  the  wily  fox,  the  timid  deer, 
the  noble  lion  ;  while  a  closer  intercourse  with 
them,  even  though  that  of  enmity,  would  be  apt 
to  attribute  not  only  human  passions,  but  mo- 
tives and  feelings,  and  hence,  speech. 

In  later  times,  when  neither  kings  nor  mobs 
would  bear  to  look  upon  naked  Truth,  recourse 
to  the  style  of  primitive  wisdom  furnished  an 
effective  garb  wherewith  to  clothe  it.  It  nat- 
tered, by  its  appeal  to  national  antiquity,  and  by 
exercising,  without  tasking,  intellectual  acute- 
ness.  Thus  Fable  was  not,  in  those  times,  a 
child's  plaything,  but  a  nation's  primer.  Tyr- 
anny and  rebellion  were  alike  stayed  by  this 
only  word  of  the  wise  that  passion  would  listen 


10  tnttobucttott 

to.  Very  different  in  its  nature  from  the  old 
Myth,  it  was  not  the  result  of  profound  contem- 
plative philosophy  in  a  popular  garb,  but  it  was 
the  off-hand,  ready-made  weapon  of  a  man  of 
action, — one  who  united  presence  of  mind  with 
presence  of  wit, — who  saw  his  opportunity  and 
knew  how  to  use  it. 

The  oldest  Fable  on  record  which  we  know  to 
have  been  thus  practically  applied,  is  that  of 
"The  Trees  and  the  Bramble,"  as  found  in 
Holy  Writ.*  When  the  Israelites,  discon- 
tented at  not  having  an  earthly  sovereign, 
had  allowed  Abimelech,  the  base  son  of 
Gideon,  to  usurp  kingly  authority  over  them, 
Jotham,  whose  better  claims  had  been  passed 
over  by  them,  addressed  them  in  the  fable  of 

THE  TREES  AND  THE    BRAMBLE. 
The  Trees  went  forth  on  a  time  to  anoint  a 
king  over  them  ;  and  they  said  unto  the  Olive- 
tree  :  "  Reign  thou  over  us  "  ;  but  the  Olive 
tree  said  unto  them  :  "  Should  I  leave  my  fat- 
ness,  wherewith  by  me  they  honor  God  and 
*  Judges,  ix.,  7.  " 


Untrofcuctfon  n 

man,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the  trees  ?  " 
And  the  Trees  said  to  the  Fig-tree  :  "  Come  thou 
and  reign  over  us  "  ;  but  the  Fig-tree  said  unto 
them:  "Should  I  forsake  my  sweetness  and 
my  good  fruit,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the 
trees  ? ' '  Then  said  the  Trees  unto  the  Vine  : 
"  Come  thou  and  reign  over  us  "  ;  and  the  Vine 
said  unto  them  :  "  Should  I  leave  my  wine, 
which  cheereth  God  and  man,  and  go  to  be 
promoted  over  the  trees  ?  ' '  Then  said  all  the 
Trees  unto  the  Bramble  :  "  Come  thou  and  reign 
over  us  "  ;  and  the  Bramble  said  unto  the  trees  : 
"If  in  truth  ye  anoint  me  king  over  you,  then 
come  and  put  your  trust  in  my  shadow  ;  and  if 
not,  let  fire  come  out  of  the  Bramble,  and  de- 
vour the  Cedars  of  Lebanon." 

No  less  effective  was  Nathan's  parable  of 
"  The  Ewe-Lamb  "  addressed  to  King  David, 
with  its  terrible  application,  "THOU  ART  THE 

MAN."* 

In  like  manner  Fables  effected  their  work  in 
the  politics  of  Greece.     The  citizens  of  Himera 
were  warned  by  Stesichorus  against  the  en- 
*  II.  Sani.,  xii. 


12  fntroOuction 

croachments  of  the  tyrant  Phalaris,  by  the  re- 
cital of  ' '  The  Horse  and  the  Stag. "  *  A  timely 
lesson  was  given  to  Peisistratus  and  the  Athe- 
nians by  the  Fable  of  "The  Frogs  and  Jupi- 
ter." f  The  Simians,  when  they  would  have 
put  to  death  one  who  had  battened  upon  the 
public  treasury,  were  checked  by  ^Ejsop's  intro- 
duction of  "The  Fox  and  the  Hedgehog."  J 
When  the  lonians,  who  had  rejected  a  previous 
invitation  of  Cyrus  to  join  him,  sent  ambassa- 
dors to  him  after  his  success,  offering  him 
terms,  the  indignant  conqueror  gave  them  no 
other  reply  than  the  story  of  "  The  Fisherman 
Piping."  §  Demosthenes  turned  the  pliant 
mind  of  the  Athenians  when  they  were  ready 
to  betray  him  into  Philip's  hands,  by  warning 
them  in  "The  Wolves  and  the  Sheep,"  lest,  in 
giving  up  the  public  orators,  they  surrendered 
the  watch-dogs  of  the  state.  And,  on  another 
occasion,  when  the  people  would  not  hear  him 
speaking  on  a  serious  matter  of  public  business, 

*  Arist.  Rhet.,  II.,  20. 
fPhaedr.,  I.,  2. 

I  Arist.  Rhet.,  II.,  20  ; — afterwards  applied,  by  Tiberius 
to  the  extortionate  prefects  of  the  Roman  provinces. 
I  Herod.,  I.,  141. 


Introduction  13 

he  called  them  to  an  acknowledgment  of  their 
frivolity,  and  to  a  sense  of  their  duty,  by  com- 
mencing the  Fable  of  "  The  Ass's  Shadow."  * 

Roman  history  furnishes  the  celebrated  in- 
stance of  Menenius  Agrippa  quelling  an  insur- 
rection by  reciting  "The  Belly  and  the  Mem- 
bers" f  ;  and  Scotland  furnishes  the  character 
of  Archibald  "Bell-the-Cat."  J 

The  present  book  of  Fables  is  not,  of  course, 
put  forward  as  the  veritable  words  of  J^sop. 
The  date  of  his  life,  and  the  nature  of  the  com- 
position, alike  forbid  us  to  suppose  that  his 
Fables  were  committed  to  writing  by  the  author 
himself.  Nor  if  such  a  work,  as  an  authentic 
collection  of  them,  ever  existed,  could  the 
common  Greek  text  lay  any  claim  to  that  title. 
It  would,  however,  be  equally  absurd  to  adopt 
the  alternative  usually  given,  that  the  whole  or 
the  greater  part  of  the  existing  Fables  are  the 
composition  of  monks  of  the  middle  ages. 

The  history  of  -35sopian  Fable  seems  rather 
to  be  this.  ^5sop  was  one  of  the  first  and  most 


*  Vit.  Demosth.  ad  fin. 

tlviv.,11.,32. 

I  W.  Scott's  Scotland,  Ch.  XXII. 


14  IFntroDuctton 

successful  in  adopting  this  kind  of  Apologue  as 
a  general  vehicle  of  instruction.  Being  striking 
in  point,  and  easy  of  remembrance,  his  stories 
were  soon  bandied  about  from  mouth  to  mouth, 
and  handed  down  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, with  such  alterations  as  are  ever  attendant 
on  oral  narration. 

In  later  times,  writers,  equally  with  speakers, 
preserving  the  traditionary  outline  of  the  Fable, 
filled  it  up  in  their  own  words  ;  while  all  the 
good  stories  afloat  upon  the  surface  of  conver- 
sation became,  naturally  enough,  referred  to 
the  great  master  in  that  style  of  composition. 
The  popularity  of  JEsop's  Fables  among  the 
Athenians  soon  became  unbounded.  We  find 
them  continually  referred  to  in  the  works  of 
the  best  Greek  authors.  Socrates  relieved  the 
monotony  of  his  prison  hours  by  turning  them 
into  verse  ;  Demetrius  Phalereus  and  others 
followed  in  the  same  course  ;  and  after  a  con- 
siderable interval,  we  have  them  presented 
anew  in  the  Greek  choliambics  of  Babrius,  and 
in  the  Latin  iambics  of  Phaedrus.  Certainly 
Phsedrus,  and  probably  the  other  older  and 


•ffntro&uction  15 

later  versionists,  made  divers  alterations,  and 
sometimes  inserted  additional  Fables  of  their 
own. 

From  all  these  various  sources  the  bulk  of 
the  existing  Fables  is  derived.  This  will  ac- 
count for  the  variety  of  versions,  sometimes  as 
many  as  six  or  seven  of  the  same  Fable  ;  while 
the  late  dialect  of  the  Greek  text,  and  the 
occasional  obvious  interpolation  of  Christian 
forms  of  speech  and  sentiment, — though  indica- 
tions of  the  hands  through  which  the  Fables 
we«-e  last  transmitted, — need  not  drive  us  from 
the  conclusion  that  we  have,  in  the  main,  both 
the  spirit  and  body  of  ^sop's  Fables,  if  not 
as  they  proceeded  from  the  Sage's  own  lips,  at 
least  as  they  were  known  in  the  best  times  of 
Greek  literature. 

This  collection  of  Fables — the  most  popular 
Moral  and  Political  Class-book  of  more  than 
two  thousand  years — it  has  been  the  object  of 
the  translator  to  restore,  in  a  more  genuine 
form  than  has  yet  been  attempted,  into  the 
hands  of  the  present  generation,  from  which 
the  wearisome  and  otherwise  objectionable 


16  Introduction 

paraphrases  of  the  ordinary  versions  had  al- 
most banished  it. 

The  recent  happy  discovery  of  the  long-lost 
Fables  of  Babrius,  and  their  opportune  appear- 
ance in  this  country  in  the  excellent  edition  of 
Mr.  George  Cornwall  Lewis,  suggested  the  idea 
that  by  a  recurrence  to  the  Greek  texts,  and  by 
collating  and  sifting  the  various  ancient  ver- 
sions, a  nearer  approach  might  be  gained  to  the 
true  ^Esopian  Fable  than  has  yet  been  pro- 
posed in  any  English  collection. 

In  the  present  version,  however,  no  strict  and 
definite  plan  of  translation  has  been  followed. 
Though  the  general  rule  has  been  to  give  a  free 
translation  from  the  oldest  source  to  which  the 
Fable  could  be  traced,  or  from  its  best  later 
form  in  the  dead  languages,  there  will  be  found 
'exceptional  cases  of  all  kinds.  Some  are  com- 
pounded out  of  many  ancient  versions  ;  some 
are  a  collection  of  ancient  and  modern  ;  some 
are  abridged,  some  interpolated  ;  one  takes  the 
turn  of  a  Greek  epigram,  another  follows  the 
lively  and  diffusive  gossip  of  Horace ;  some 
walk  more  in  the  track  of  the  Greek  verse  of 


UntroJwctton  17 

Babrius,  some  in  that  of  the  Latin  verse  of 
Phaedrus  ;  a  few  adopt  the  turn  given  by  I/  Es- 
trange, or  speak  almost  in  the  very  words  of 
Croxall  or  Dodsley. 

This  method  of  translation — wholly  without 
excuse  if  applied  to  a  genuine  classic — will, 
perhaps,  be  deemed  admissible  for  a  popular 
volume  of  JSsopian  Fables,  seeing  that  it  is 
neither  more  nor  less  than  has  happened  to 
them  since  the  days  when  the  Sage  first  scat- 
tered his  Apologues  on  the  wide  waters  of 
society,  to  be  taken  up  and  treated  as  suited 
the  whim  or  purpose  of  subsequent  recounters 
and  version ists  from  Socrates  to  Mrs.  Trimmer. 

A  greater  liberty  has  been  taken  with  those 
venerable  deductions  which  are  usually  ap- 
pended in  set  form  to  the  Fable,  under  the  title 
of  Morals,  or  Applications ;  and  in  this  an  es- 
sential departure  has  been  made  from  the  com- 
mon plan  of  the  English  Fabulists,  who  have 
generally  smothered  the  original  Fable  under 
an  overpowering  weight  of  their  own  commen- 
tary. Of  course  when  Fables  were  first  spoken 
they  were  supposed  to  convey  their  own  Moral 


i8  Introduction 

along  with  them,  or  else  they  were  spoken  in 
vain  ;  and  even  when  first  written,  the  applica- 
tion given  was  that  of  the  particular  occasion, 
not  of  general  inference.  When,  in  later  times, 
Morals  were  formally  added,  they  were  always 
brief,  and  mostly  in  a  proverbial  form.  To 
this  character  it  has  been  attempted  to  recall 
them,  though,  in  some  instances,  they  are  in- 
corporated with  the  Fable,  and  in  others,  where 
the  story  seems  to  speak  for  itself,  omitted 
altogether. 

It  would  be  quite  unnecessary  for  the  Trans- 
lator to  suggest,  even  in  an  age  much  less  pic- 
torial than  the  present,  how  much  this  book  is 
indebted  for  any  value  it  may  possess  to  the  il- 
lustrations of  the  Artist ;  but  he  cannot  close 
his  own  portion  of  the  work  without  expressing 
how  greatly  the  pleasure  of  the  undertaking 
has  been  enhanced  to  him  by  having  such  a 
coadjutor :  a  pleasure  which  has  arisen  no  less 
from  the  kindly  spirit  of  Mr.  Tenniel's  coop- 
eration than  from  the  happy  results  of  his  skill. 

THEDDINGWORTH  VICARAGE, 
January,  1848. 


FABLES. 


THE  FOX  AND  THE  GRAPES. 

A  Fox,  just  at  the  time  of  the 
vintage,  stole  into  a  vineyard  where 
the  ripe  sunny  Grapes  were  trel- 

Plised  up  on  high  in  most  tempting 
show.      He  made   many  a   spring 
and  a  jump  after  the  luscious  prize ; 
but,  failing  in  all  his  attempts,  he 
muttered  as  he  retreated  :    "Well !   i 
what  does  it  matter  !    The  Grapes  ( 
are  sour ! " 


22        Gbe  JBowman  anD  tbe  Xton 


FABI.E  IL 
THE  BOWMAN  AND  THE  LION. 

A  Man  who  was  very  skilful  with  his  bow, 
went  up  into  the  mountains  to  hunt.  At  his 
approach  there  was  instantly  a  great  consterna- 
tion and  rout  among  all  the  wild  beasts,  the 
Lion  alone  showing  any  determination  to  fight. 
"  Stop,"  said  the  Bowman  to  him,  "  and  await 
my  messenger,  who  has  somewhat  to  say  to 
you."  With  that  he  sent  an  arrow  after  the 
Lion,  and  wounded  him  in  the  side.  The  Lion, 
smarting  with  anguish,  fled  into  the  depth  of 
the  thickets,  but  a  Fox,  seeing  him  run,  bade 
him  take  courage  and  face  his  enemy.  "No," 
said  the  Lion,  "  you  will  not  persuade  me  to 
that ;  for  if  the  messenger  he  sends  is  so  sharp, 
what  must  be  the  power  of  him  who  sends  it?  " 


Wolf  anD  tbe  Crane 


in. 
THE  WOLF  AND  THE  CRANE. 

A  Wolf  had  got  a  bone  stuck  in  his  throat, 
and  in  the  greatest  agony  ran  up  and  down,  be- 
seeching every  animal  he  met  to  relieve  him, 
at  the  same  time  hinting  at  a  very  handsome 
reward  to  the  successful  operator.  A  Crane, 
moved  by  his  entreaties  and  promises,  ventured 
her  long  neck  down  the  Wolf's  throat,  and 
drew  out  the  bone.  She  then  modestly  asked 


24         Gbe  3Boie  ano  tbe  Scorpion 

for  the  promised  reward.  To  which  the  Wolf, 
grinning  and  showing  his  teeth,  replied  with 
seeming  indignation:  "Ungrateful  creature! 
to  ask  for  any  other  reward  than  that  you  have 
put  your  head  into  a  Wolf's  jaws  and  brought 
it  safe  out  again  !  " 

Those  Avho  are  charitable  only  in  the  hope  of 
a  return,  must  not  be  surprised  if,  in  their  deal- 
ings with  evil  men,  they  meet  with  more  jeers 
than  thanks. 


FABLE  IV. 
THE  BOY  AND  THE  SCORPION. 

A  Boy  was  hunting  Locusts  upon  a  wall,  and 
had  caught  a  great  number  of  them  ;  when, 
seeing  a  Scorpion,  he  mistook  it  for  another 
Locust,  and  was  just  hollowing  his  hand  to 
catch  it,  when  the  Scorpion,  lifting  up  his  sting, 
said:  "I  wish  you  had  done  it,  for  I  would 
soon  have  made  you  drop  me,  and  the  Locusts 
into  the  bargain." 


and  tbe  ©oat 


25 


FABLE  V. 
THE  FOX  AND  THE  GOAT. 

A  Fox  had  fallen  into  a  well,  and  had  been 
casting  about  for  a  long  time  how  he  should  get 
out  again  ;  when  at  length  a  Goat  came  to  the 
place,  and,  wanting  to  drink,  asked  Reynard 
whether  the  water  was  good,  and  if  there  was 
plenty  of  it.  The  Fox,  dissemblin^  the  real 
danger  of  his  case,  replied  :  "  Come  down,  my 


26          ftbe  imi&ow  anD  tbe  tben 

friend  ;  the  water  is  so  good  that  I  cannot  drink 
enough  of  it,  and  so  abundant  that  it  cannot  be 
exhausted."  Upon  this  the  Goat  without  any 
more  ado  leaped  in  ;  when  the  Fox,  taking  ad- 
vantage of  his  friend's  horns,  as  nimbly  leaped 
out ;  and  coolly  remarked  to  the  poor  deluded 
Goat  :  "If  you  had  half  as  much  brains  as  you 
have  beard,  you  would  have  looked  before  you 
leaped." 

FABLE  VI. 
THE  WIDOW  AND  THE  HEN. 

A  Widow  woman  kept  a  Hen  that  laid  an  egg 
every  morning.  Thought  the  woman  to  herself, 
"  If  I  double  my  Hen's  allowance  of  barley,  she 
will  lay  twice  a-day."  So  she  tried  her  plan, 
and  the  Hen  became  so  fat  and  sleek  that  she 
left  off  laying  at  all. 

Figures  are  not  always  facts. 


Dain 


VII. 
THE  VAIN  JACKDAW. 

A  Jackdaw,  as  vain  and  conceited  as  Jackdaw 
could  be,  picked  up  the  feathers  which  some 
Peacocks  had  shed,  stuck  them  amongsthis  own, 
and  despising  his  old  companions,  introduced 
himself  with  the  greatest  assurance  into  a  flock 
of  those  beautiful  birds.  They,  instantly  de- 
tecting the  intruder,  stripped  him  of  his  bor- 
rowed plumes,  and  falling  upon  him  with  their 
beaks,  sent  him  about  his  business.  The  un- 
lucky Jackdaw,  sorely  punished  and  deeply  sor- 


28  Sbe  ido  an&  tbc  Wolf 

rowing,  betook  himself  to  his  former  compan- 
ions, and  would  have  flocked  with  them  again 
as  if  nothing  had  happened.  But  they,  recol- 
lecting what  airs  he  had  given  himself, 
drummed  him  out  of  their  society,  while  one  of 
those  whom  he  had  so  lately  despised,  read  him 
this  lecture  :  "  Had  you  been  contented  with 
what  nature  made  you,  you  would  have  escaped 
the  chastisement  of  your  betters  and  also  the 
contempt  of  your  equals." 


vin. 
THE  KID  AND  THE  WOLF. 

A  Kid  being  mounted  on  the  roof  of  a  lofty 
house,  and  seeing  a  Wolf  pass  below,  began  to 
revile  him.  The  Wolf  merely  stopped  to  reply : 
"  Coward  !  it  is  not  you  who  revile  me,  but  the 
place  on  which  you  are  standing." 


£be  vfllbountain  in  labor 


FABI.E  rx. 

THE  MOUNTAIN  IN  LABOR. 

In  days  of  yore,  a  mighty  rumbling  was 
heard  in  a  Mountain.  It  was  said  to  be  in 
labor,  and  multitudes  flocked  together,  from 
far  and  near,  to  see  what  it  would  produce. 
After  long  expectation  and  many  wise  conject- 
ures from  the  bystanders — out  popped  a  Mouse  ! 

The  story  applies  to  those  whose  magnificent 
promises  end  in  a  paltry  performance. 


30         Gbe  "Kite  an5  tbe  fMgeons 


THE  KITE)  AND  THE  PIGEONS. 

Some  Pigeons  had  long  lived  in  fear  of  a 
Kite,  but,  by  being  always  on  tbe  alert  and 
keeping  near  their  dove-cote,  they  had  con- 
trived hitherto  to  escape  the  attacks  of  the 
enemy.  Finding  his  sallies  unsuccessful,  the 
Kite  betook  himself  to  craft  :  "  Why,"  said  he, 
"  do  you  prefer  this  life  of  continual  anxiety 
when,  if  you  would  only  make  me  your  king, 
I  would  secure  you  from  every  attack  that 
could  be  made  upon  you?"  The  Pigeons, 
trusting  to  his  professions,  called  him  to  the 
throne  ;  but  no  sooner  was  he  established  there 
than  he  exercised  his  prerogative  by  devouring 
a  Pigeon  a-day.  Whereupon,  one  that  yet 
awaited  his  turn  said  no  more  than  —  "  It  serves 
us  right." 

They  who  voluntarily  put  power  into  the 
hand  of  a  tyrant  or  an  enemy  must  not  wonder 
if  it  be  at  last  turned  against  themselves. 


Tbounfc 


FABI,E  XI. 

THE  OLD  HOUND. 

A  Hound,  who  had  been  an  excellent  one  in 
his  time,  and  had  done  good  service  to  his 
master  in  the  field,  at  length  became  worn  out 
with  the  weight  of  years  and  trouble.  One 
day,  when  hunting  the  wild  boar,  he  seized  the 
creature  by  the  ear,  but  his  teeth  giving  way, 
he  was  forced  to  let  go  his  hold,  and  the  boat- 
escaped.  Upon  this  the  huntsman,  coming  up, 


32       Gbe  But  anD  tbe  Grassbopper 

severely  rated  him.  But  the  feeble  Dog  replied : 
"  Spare  your  old  servant !  it  was  the  power  not 
the  will  that  failed  me.  Remember  rather  what 
I  was,  than  abuse  me  for  what  I  am." 


FABLE  xrr. 
THE  ANT  AND  THE  GRASSHOPPER. 

On  a  cold,  frosty  day  an  Ant  was  dragging 
out  some  of  the  corn  which  he  had  laid  up  in 
the  summer  time,  to  dry  it.  A  Grasshopper, 
half-perished  with  hunger,  besought  the  Ant  to 
give  him  a  morsel  of  it  to  preserve  his  life. 
"What  were  you  doing,"  said  the  Ant,  "this 
last  summer?  "  "  Oh,"  said  the  Grasshopper, 
"I  was  not  idle.  I  kept  singing  all  the  sum- 
mer long. ' '  Said  the  Ant,  laughing  and  shut- 
ting up  his  granary  :  "  Since  you  could  sing  all 
u miner,  you  may  dance  all  winter." 

Winter  finds  out  what  Summer  lays  by. 


Cock  anO  tbe  Jewel  33 


FABLE  XIII. 
THE  COCK  AND  THE  JEWEL. 

As  a  Cock  was  scratching  up  the  straw  in  a 
farm-yard,  in  search  of  food  for  the  hens,  he  hit 
upon  a  Jewel  that  by  some  chance  had  found 
it"  way  there.  "Ho!"  said  he,  "you  are  a 
•^  y  fine  thing,  no  doubt,  to  those  who  prize 
you ;  but  give  me  a  barley-corn  before  all  the 
pearls  in  the  world." 

The  Cock  was  a  sensible  Cock  ;  but  there  are 
many  silly  people  who  despise  what  is  precious 
only  because  they  cannot  understand  it. 


34         £be  ffawn  anD  ber  dfcotber 


XIV. 

THE  FAWN  AND  HER  MOTHER. 

A  Fawn  one  day  said  to  her  Mother  :  "  Moth- 
er, you  are  bigger  than  a  dog,  and  swifter  and 
better  winded,  and  you  have  horns  to  defend 
yourself  ;  how  is  it  that  you  are  so  afraid  of  the 
hounds?  "  She  smiled  and  said:  "All  this, 
my  child,  I  know  full  well  ;  but  no  sooner  do  I 
hear  a  dog  bark,  than,  somehow  or  other,  my 
heels  take  me  off  as  fast  as  they  can  carry  me." 

There  is  no  arguing  a  coward  into  courage. 

FABLE  xv. 
THE  TWO  WALLETS. 

Every  man  carries  Two  Wallets,  one  before 
and  one  behind,  and  both  full  of  faults.  But 
the  one  before  is  full  of  his  neighbor's  faults  ; 
the  one  behind,  of  his  own.  Thus  it  happens 
that  men  are  blind  to  their  own  faults,  but 
never  lose  sight  of  their  neighbor's. 


tlbe  Eagle  anfc  tbe 


FABI,E  xvi. 

THE  EAGLE  AND  THE  FOX. 
An  Eagle  and  a  Fox  had  long 
lived  together  as  good  neigh- 
bors ;  the  Eagle  at  the  summit  of 
a  high  tree,  the  Fox  in  a  hole 
at  the  foot  of  it.  One  day,  how- 
ever, while  the  Fox  was  abroad, 
the  Eagle  made  a  swoop  at  the 
Fox's  cub,  and  carried  it  off  to 
her  nest,  thinking  that  her  lofty 


3f>         tTbc  "fcorse  ano  tbe  Groom 

dwelling  would  secure  her  from  the  Fox's  re- 
venge. The  Fox,  on  her  return  home,  up- 
braided the  Eagle  for  this  breach  of  friendship, 
and  begged  earnestly  to  have  her  young  one 
again  ;  but  finding  that  her  entreaties  were  of 
no  avail,  she  snatched  a  torch  from  an  altar-fire 
that  had  been  lighted  hard  by,  and  involving 
the  whole  tree  in  flame  and  smoke,  soon  made 
the  Eagle  restore,  through  fear  for  herself  and 
her  own  young  ones,  the  cub  which  she  had 
just  now  denied  to  her  most  earnest  prayers. 

The  tyrant,  though  he  may  despise  the  tears 
of  the  oppressed,  is  never  safe  from  their  ven- 
geance. 

FABLE  XVII. 
THE  HORSE  AND  THE  GROOM. 

:i  Groom  who  used  to  steal  and  sell  a  Horse's 
corn,  was  yet  very  busy  in  grooming  and  wisp- 
ing  him  all  the  day  long.  "If  you  really  wish 
me,"  said  the  Horse,  "to  look  well,  give  me 
less  of  your  currying,  and  more  of  your  corn." 


Cbc  Countryman  and  the  Snake     37 


FABLE   XVIII. 
THE   COUNTRYMAN   AND   THE   SNAKE. 

A  Countryman  returning  home  one  winter's 
day  found  a  Snake  by  the  hedge-side,  half  dead 
with  cold.  Taking  compassion  on  the  creature, 
he  laid  it  in  his  bosom  and  brought  it  home  to 
his  fireside  to  revive  it.  No  sooner  had  the 
warmth  restored  it  than  it  began  to  attack  the 
children  of  the  cottage.  Upon  this  the  Coun- 


38  Gbe  fftsberman 


tryman,  whose  compassion  had  saved  its  life, 
took  up  a  mattock  and  laid  the  Snake  dead  al 
his  feet. 

Those  who  return  evil  for  good  may  expect 
their  neighbor's  pity  to  be  worn  out  at  last. 


FABLE  XIX. 

THE  FISHERMAN  PIPING. 

A  Man  who  cared  more  for  his  notes  than  his 
nets,  seeing  some  fish  in  the  sea,  began  playing 
on  his  pipe,  thinking  that  they  would  jump  out 
on  shore.  But  finding  himself  disappointed, 
he  took  a  casting-net,  and  enclosing  a  great 
multitude  of  fish,  drew  them  to  land.  When 
he  saw  the  fish  dancing  and  flapping  about,  he 
smiled,  and  said  :  "  Since  you  would  not  dance 
when  I  piped,  I  will  have  none  of  your  dancing 


It  is  a  great  art  to  do  the  right  thing  at  the 
right  season. 


/toan  anD  tbe  Satgr 


39 


FABI.E  -XX. 
THE  MAN  AND  THE  SATYR. 

A  Man  and  a  Satyr  having  struck  up  an  ac- 
quaintance, sat  down  together  to  eat.  The  day 
being  wintry  and  cold,  the  Man  put  his  fingers 
to  his  mouth  and  blew  upon  them.  "  What  's 
that  for,  my  friend  ?  "  asked  the  Satyr.  "  My 
hands  are  so  cold,"  said  the  Man,  "  T  do  it  to 
warm  them."  In  a  little  while  some  hot  food 


40      abe  jflies  anO  tbe  1foone\?=pot 

was  placed  before  them,  and  the  Man,  raising 
the  dish  to  his  mouth,  again  blew  upon  it. 
"And  what  's  the  meaning  of  that,  now?  "  said 
the  Satyr.  "Oh,"  replied  the  Man,  "my  por- 
ridge is  so  hot  I  do  it  to  cool  it."  "Nay,  then," 
said  the  Satyr,  "  from  this  moment  I  renounce 
your  friendship,  for  I  will  have  nothing  to  do 
with  one  who  blows  hot  and  cold  with  the  same 
mouth." 


xxi. 

THE  FLIES  AND  THE  HONEY-POT. 

A  Pot  of  Honey  having  been  upset  in  a  gro- 
cer's shop,  the  Flies  came  around  it  in  swarms 
to  eat  it  up,  nor  would  they  move  from  the  spot 
while  there  was  a  drop  left.  At  length  their 
feet  became  so  clogged  that  they  could  not  fly 
away,  and  stifled  in  the  luscious  sweets  they 
exclaimed  :  "  Miserable  creatures  that  we  are, 
who  for  the  sake  of  an  hour's  pleasure  have 
thrown  away  our  lives  !  " 


tlbc  3figbtin0=Coch6  an&  tbe 


41 


FABI,E   XXII. 

THE  FIGHTING-COCKS  AND  THE  EAGLE. 

Two  young  Cocks  were  fighting  as  fiercely  as 
if  they  had  been  men.  At  last  the  one  that  was 
beaten  crept  into  a  corner  of  the  hen-house  cov- 
ered with  wounds.  But  the  conqueror,  straight- 
way flying  up  to  the  top  of  the  house,  began 
clapping  his  wings  and  crowing,  to  announce 
his  victory.  At  this  moment  an  Eagle,  sailing 
by,  seized  him  in  his  talons  and  bore  him  away  ; 
c.__  while  the  defeated  rival  came  out  from 

his  hiding-place,  and  took  possession  of 
the  dunghill  for  which 
they  had  contended. 


42          £be  /Ifcouse  ai^  the 


XXIII- 

THE  MOUSE  AND  THE  FROG. 

A  Mouse  in  an  evil  day  made  acquaintance 
with  a  Frog,  and  they  set  off  on  their  travels  to- 
gether. The  Frog,  on  pretence  of  great  affec- 
tion, and  of  keeping  his  companion  outof  harm's 
way,  tied  the  Mouse's  fore-foot  to  his  own  hind- 
leg,  and  thus  they  proceeded  for  some  distance 
by  land.  Presently  they  came  to  some  water,  and 
the  Frog,  bidding  the  Mouse  have  good  cour- 
age, began  to  swim  across.  They  had  scarcely, 
however,  arrived  midway,  when  the  Frog  took 
a  sudden  plunge  to  the  bottom,  dragging  the 
unfortunate  Mouse  after  him.  But  the  strug- 
gling and  floundering  of  the  Mouse  made  so 
great  commotion  in  the  water  that  it  attracted 
the  attention  of  a  Kite,  who,  pouncing  down, 
and  bearing  off  the  Mouse,  carried  away  the 
Frog  at  the  same  time  in  his  train. 

Inconsiderate  and  ill-matched  alliances  gen- 
erally end  in  ruin  ;  and  the  man  who  compasses 
the  destruction  of  his  neighbor  is  often  caught 
in  his  own  snare. 


Gbe  Doc?  anD  tbc  SbaOovv 


43 


THE  DOG  AND  THE  SHADOW. 

A  Dog  had  stolen  a  piece  of  meat  out  of  a 
batcher's  shop,  and  was  crossing  a  river  on  his 
way  home,  when  he  saw  his  own  shadow  re- 
flected in  the  stream  below.  Thinking  that  it 
was  another  dog  with  another  piece  of  meat,  he 
resolved  to  make  himself  master  of  that  also  ; 
but  in  snapping  at  the  supposed  treasure,  he 
dropped  the  bit  he  was  carrying,  and  so  lost  all. 

Grasp  at  the  shadow  and  lose  the  substance 


44  Gbe  Greafetng  "CQbeels 

— the  common  fate  of  those  who  hazard  a  real 
blessing  for  some  visionary  good. 

< 
FABLE  XXV. 

THE  FOX  AND  THE  LION. 
A  Fox  who  had  never  seen  a  Lion,  when  by 
chance  he  met  him  for  the  first  time,  was  so 
terrified  that  he  almost  died  of  fright.  When 
he  met  him  the  second  time  he  was  still  afraid, 
but  managed  to  disguise  his  fear.  When  he 
saw  him  the  third  time  he  was  so  much  embold- 
ened that  he  went  up  and  asked  him  how  he 
did. 

Familiarity  breeds  contempt. 

FABLE  xxvi. 

THE  CREAKING  WHEELS. 
As  some  Oxen  were  dragging  a  Wagon  along 
a  heavy  road,  the  Wheels  set  up  a  tremendous 
creaking.  "Brute!"  cried  the  Driver  to  the 
Wagon  ;  ' '  why  do  you  groan  when  they  who 
are  drawing  all  the  weight  are  silent?  " 

Those  who  cry  loudest  are  not  always  tlie 
most  hurt. 


TIClolf  and  tbe  ULamb          45 


FABI.E   XXVII. 

THE  WOLF  AND  THE  LAMB. 

As  a  Wolf  was  lapping  at  the  head  of  a  run- 
ning brook,  he  spied  a  stray  Lamb  paddling,  at 
some  distance  down  the  stream.  Having  made 
up  his  mind  to  seize  her,  he  bethought  himself 
how  he  might  justify  his  violence.  "  Villain  !  " 
said  he,  running  up  to  her,  "how  dare  you 
muddle  the  water  that  I  am  drinking?  "  "  In- 
deed," said  the  Lamb  humbly,  "I  do  not  see 
how  I  can  disturb  the  water,  since  it  runs  from 


46  £be  JSear  anD  tbe 

you  to  me,  not  from  me  to  you."  "  Be  that  as 
it  may,"  replied  the  Wolf,  "it  was  but  a  year 
ago  that  you  called  me  many  ill  names."  "  Oh, 
sir  !  "  said  the  Lamb,  trembling,  "  a  year  ago  I 
was  not  born."  "  Well,"  replied  the  Wolf,  "  if 
it  was  not  you,  it  was  your  father,  and  that  is 
all  the  same  ;  but  it  is  no  use  trying  to  argue 
me  out  of  my  supper"  ; — and  without  another 
word  he  fell  upon  the  poor  helpless  Lamb  and 
tore  her  to  pieces. 

A  tyrant  never  wants  a  plea.  And  they  have 
little  chance  of  resisting  the  injustice  of  the 
powerful  whose  only  weapons  are  innocence 
and  reason. 

FABLE   XXVIII. 

THE  BEAR  AND  THE  FOX. 

A  Bear  used  to  boast  of  his  excessive  love  for 
Man,  saying  that  he  never  worried  or  mauled 
him  when  dead.  The  Fox  observed,  with  a 
smile:  "I  should  have  thought  more  of  your 
profession,  if  you  never  ate  him  alive." 

Better  save  a  man  from  dying  than  salve  him 
when  dead. 


Country  jfl&ouse  anfc  ttown  jflBouse     47 


FABLE  XXIX. 

THE  COUNTRY  MOUSE  AND  THE  TOWN 
MOUSE. 

Once  upon  a  time  a  Country  Mouse  who  had 
a  friend  in  town  invited  him,  for  old  acquaint- 
ance' sake,  to  pay  him  a  visit  in  the  country. 
The  invitation  being  accepted  in  due  form,  the 
Country  Mouse,  though  plain  and  rough  and 
somewhat  frugal  in  his  nature,  opened  his  heart 


43     Country  /Iftcuse  anfc  Gown 


and  store,  in  honor  of  hospitality  and  an  old 
friend.  There  was  not  a  carefully  stored  up  mor- 
sel that  he  did  not  bring  forth  out  of  his  larder, 
peas  and  barley,  cheese-parings  and  nuts,  hoping 
by  quantity  to  make  up  what  he  feared  was  want- 
ing in  quality,  to  suit  the  palate  of  his  dainty 
guest.  The  Town  Mouse,  condescending  to 
pick  a  bit  here  and  a  bit  there,  while  the  host 
sat  nibbling  a  blade  of  barley-straw,  at  length 
exclaimed:  "How  is  it,  my  good  friend,  that 
you  can  endure  the  dulness  of  this  unpolished 
life?  You  are  living  like  a  toad  in  a  hole.  You 
can't  really  prefer  these  solitary  rocks  and 
woods  to  streets  teeming  with  carriages  and 
men.  On  my  honor,  you  are  wasting  your  time 
miserably  here.  We  must  make  the  most  of 
life  while  it  lasts.  A  mouse,  you  know,  does 
not  live  for  ever.  So  come  with  me  and  I  '11 
show  you  life  and  the  town."  Overpowered 
with  such  fine  words  and  so  polished  a  manner, 
the  Country  Mouse  assented,  and  they  set  out 
together  on  their  journey  to  town.  It  was  late 
in  vlie  evening  when  they  crept  stealthily  into 
the  city,  and  midnight  ere  they  reached  the 


Country  dfeouse  anfc  tTown  /BSouse    49 

great  house,  where  the  Town  Mouse  took  up 
his  quarters.  Here  were  couches  of  crimson 
velvet,  carvings  in  ivory,  every  thing  in  short 
that  denoted  wealth  and  luxury.  On  the  table 
were  the  remains  of  a  splendid  banquet,  to  pro- 
cure which  all  the  choicest  shops  in  the  town 
had  been  ransacked  the  day  before.  It  was  now 
the  turn  of  the  courtier  to  play  the  host ;  he 
places  his  country  friend  on  purple,  runs  to  and 
fro  to  supply  all  his  wants,  presses  dish  upon 
dish  and  dainty  upon  dainty,  and  as  though  he 
were  waiting  on  a  king,  tastes  every  course  ere 
he  ventures  to  place  it  before  his  rustic  cousin. 
The  Country^  Mo.use,  for  his  part,  affects  to 
make  himself  quite  at  home,  and  blesses  the 
good  fortune  that  had  wrought  such  a  change 
in  his  way  of  life  ;  when,  in  the  midst  of  his 
enjoyment,  as  he  is  thinking  with  contempt  of 
the  poor  fare  he  has  forsaken,  on  a  sudden  the 
door  flies  open,  and  a  party  of  revellers,  return- 
ing from  a  late  entertainment,  bursts  into  the 
room.  The  affrighted  friends  jump  from  the 
table  in  the  greatest  consternation  and  hide 
themselves  in  the  first  corner  they  can  reach. 


50     tTbe  S>og,  tbe  Gocfc,  anb  tbc  3foj 

No  sooner  do  they  venture  to  creep  out  again 
than  the  barking  of  dogs  drives  them  back  in 
still  greater  terror  than  before.  At  length, 
when  things  seemed  quiet,  the  Country  Mouse 
stole  out  from  his  hiding-place,  and  bidding  his 
friend  good-bye,  whispered  in  his  ear  :  "  Oh, 
my  good  sir,  this  fine  mode  of  living  may  do 
for  those  who  like  it  ;  but  give  me  my  barley 
bread  in  peace  and  security  before  the  dainti- 
est feast  where  Fear  and  Care  are  in  waiting." 


xxx. 

THE  DOG,  THE  COCK,  AND  THE  FOX. 

A  Dog  and  a  Cock  having  struck  up  an  ac- 
quaintance, went  out  on  their  travels  together. 
Nightfall  found  them  in  a  forest ;  so  the 
Cock,  flying  up  on  a  tree,  perched  among  the 
branches,  while  the  Dog  dozed  below  at  the 
foot.  As  the  night  passed  away  and  the  day 
dawned,  the  Cock,  according  to  his  custom,  set 
up  a  shrill  crowing.  A  Fox  hearing  him,  and 
thinking  to  make  a  meal  of  him,  came  aud 


tlbe  Dog,  tbe  Cocfc,  an&  tbe  ffoj     51 

stood  under  the  tree,  and  thus  addressed  him  : 
' '  Thou  art  a  good  little  bird,  and  most  useful 
to  thy  fellow-creatures.  Come  down,  then, 
that  we  may  sing  our  matins  and  rejoice  to- 
gether." The  Cock  replied:  "Go,  my  good 
friend  to  the  foot  of  the  tree,  and  call  the  sac- 
ristan to  toll  the  bell."  But  as  the  Fox  went 
to  call  him,  the  Dog  jumped  out  in  a  moment, 
and  seized  the  Fox  and  made  an  end  of  him. 

They   who    lay   traps    for  others    are  often 
caught  by  their  own  bait. 


52          Cbe  lion  anfc  tbc  dfcouse 


THE  LION  AND  THE  MOUSE. 
A  Lion  was  sleeping  in  his  lair,  when  a 
Mouse,  not  knowing  where  he  was  going,  ran 
over  the  mighty  beast's  nose  and  awakened 
him.  The  Lion  clapped  his  paw  upon  the 
frightened  little  creature,  and  was  about  to 
make  an  end  of  him  in .  a  moment,  when  the 
Mouse,  in  pitiable  tone,  besought  him  to  spare 
one  who  had  so  unconsciously  offended,  and 
not  stain  his  honorable  paw  with  so  insignifi- 
cant a  prey.  The  Lion,  smiling  at  bis  little 


(Bull  anD  tbc  1?ite  53 


prisoner's  fright,  generously  let  him  go.  Now 
it  happened  no  long  time  after,  that  the  Lion, 
while  ranging  the  woods  for  his  prey,  fell  into 
the  toils  of  the  hunters  ;  and  finding  himself 
entangled  without  hope  of  escape,  set  up  a  roar 
that  filled  the  whole  forest  with  its  echo.  The 
Mouse,  recognizing  the  voice  of  his  former  pre- 
server, ran  to  the  spot,  and  without  more  ado, 
set  to  work  to  nibble  the  kqpt  in  the  cord  that 
bound  the  Lion,  and  in  a  short  time  set  the  no- 
ble beast  at  liberty  ;  thus  convincing  him  that 
kindness  is  seldom  thrown  away,  and  that 
there  is  no  creature  so  much  below  another  but 
that  he  may  have  it  in  his  power  to  return  a 
good  office. 


xxxil. 

THE  GULL  AND  THE  KITE. 
A  Gull  had  pounced  upon  a  fish,  and  in  en- 
deavoring to  swallow  it  got  choked,  and  lay 
upon;  the  deck  for  dead.  A  Kite  who  was  pass- 
ing by  and  saw  him,  gave  him  no  other  comfort 
than  —  "  It  serves  you  right  ;  for  what  business 
have  the  fowls  of  the  air  to  meddle  with  the  fish 
of  the  sea." 


FABLE  XXXIII. 

THE  HOUSE-DOG  AND  THE  WOLF. 

A  lean,  hungry  Wolf  chanced  one  moonshiny 
night  to  fall  in  with  a  plump,  well-fed  House- 
Dog.  After  the  first  compliments  were  passed 
between  them,  "  How  is  it,  my  friend,"  said  the 
Wolf,  "  that  you  look  so  sleek  ?  How  well 
your  food  agrees  with  you  !  and  here  am  I  striv- 
ing for  my  living  night  and  day,  and  can 
hardly  save  myself  from  starving."  "Well," 


55 

says  the  Dog,  "  if  you  would  fare  like  me  you 
have  only  to  do  as  I  do."  "  Indeed,"  says  he, 
"and  what  is  that?"  "Why,"  replies  the 
Dog,  "just  to  guard  the  master's  house  and 
keep  off  the  thieves  at  night. "  "  With  all  my 
heart,  for  at  present  I  have  but  a  sorry  time  of 
it.  This  woodland  life,  with  its  frosts  and  rains, 
is  sharp  work  for  me.  To  have  a  warm  roof 
over  my  head  and  a  bellyful  of  victuals  always 
at  hand  will,  methinks,  be  no  bad  exchange." 
"True,"  says  the  Dog;  "therefore  you  have 
nothing  to  do  but  to  follow  me."  Now,  as  they 
were  jogging  on  together,  the  Wolf  spied  a 
mark  in  the  Dog's  neck,  and  having  a  strange 
curiosity,  could  not  forbear  asking  what  it 
meant.  "  Pooh  !  nothing  at  all,"  says  the  Dog. 
"Nay,  but  pray" — says  the  Wolf.  "Oh!  a 
mere  trifle ;  perhaps  the  collar  to  which  my 
chain  is  fastened — "  "  Chain  !  "  cries  the  Wolf 
in  surprise  ;  "you  don't  mean  to  say  that  you 
cannot  rove  when  and  where  you  please  ?  ''• 
"  Why,  not  exactly,  perhaps  ;  you  see  I  ^D\ 
looked  upon  as  rather  fierce,  so  they  sometimes 
tie  me  up  in  the  day  time,  but  I  assure  vou  I 


56      ttbe  1bouse*2>og  an£>  tbe  IHflott 

have  perfect  liberty  at  night ;  and  the  master 
feeds  me  off  his  own  plate,  and  the  servants 
give  me  their  tit-bits,  and  I  am  such  a  favorite, 
and — but  what  is  tbe  matter?  where  are  you 
going?"  "Oh,  good-night  to  you,"  says  the 
Wolf;  "  you  are  welcome  to  your  dainties  ;  but 
for  me,  a  dry  crust  with  liberty,  against  a  king's 
luxury  with  a  chain." 


<Ibe  ffrog  and  tbc 


57 


FABI<E;  xxxiv. 
THE  FROG  AND  THE  OX. 

An  Ox,  grazing  in  a  swampy  meadow, 
chanced  to  set  his  foot  among  a  parcel  of 
young  Frogs,  and  crushed  nearly  the  whole 
brood  to  death.  One  that  escaped  ran  off  to 
his  mother  with  the  dreadful  news.  "And,  O 
mother  !  "  said  he,  "  it  was  a  beast — such  a  big 
four-footed  beast  !— that  did  it."  "Big?" 
quoth  the  old  Frog,  "  how  big?  was  it  as  big  " 
— and  she  puffed  herself  out  to  a  great  degree — 
"  as  big  as  this?  "  "  Oh  !  "  said  the  little  one. 


58  Gbe  iDomearanate.  SpDle,  anD  JBramble 

"a  great  deal  bigger  than  that."  "Well,  was 
it  so  big?"  and  she  swelled  herself  out  yet 
more.  "Indeed,  mother,  but  it  was;  and  if 
you  were  to  burst  yourself  you  would  never 
reach  half  its  size."  Provoked  at  such  a  dis- 
paragement of  her  powers,  the  old  Frog  made 
one  more  trial,  and  burst  herself  indeed. 

So  men  are  ruined  by  attempting  a  greatness 
to  which  they  have  no  claim. 

FABLE;  xxxv. 

THE  POMEGRANATE,  THE  APPLE,  AND 
THE  BRAMBLE. 

The  Pomegranate  and  the  Apple  had  a  con- 
test on  the  score  of  beauty.  When  words  ran 
high,  and  the  strife  waxed  dangerous,  a  Bram- 
ble, thrusting  his  head  from  a  neighboring 
bush,  cried  out:  "We  have  disputed  long 
enough  ;  let  there  be  no  more  rivalry  betwixt 
us." 

The  most  insignificant  are  generally  the  most 
presuming. 


tlbe  tortoise  ant>  tbe 


59 


FABLE    XXXVI. 

THE  TORTOISE  AND  THE  EAGLE. 
A  Tortoise,  dissatisfied  with  his  lowly  life, 
when  he  beheld  so  many  of  the  birds,  his  neigh- 
bors, disporting  themselves  in  the  clouds,. and 
thinking  that,  if  he  could  but  once  get  up  into 
the  air,  he  could  soar  with  the  best  of  them, 
called  one  day  upon  an  Eagle,  and  offered  him 
all  the  treasures  of  Ocean  if  he  could  only 
teach  him  to  fly.  The  Eagle  would  have  de- 
clined the  task,  assuring  him  that  the  thing 


60 


was  not  only  absurd  but  impossible,  but  being 
further  pressed  by  the  entreaties  and  promises 
of  the  Tortoise,  he  at  length  consented  to  do 
for  him  the  best  he  could.  So  taking  him  up 
to  a  great  height  in  the  air  and  loosing  his  hold 
upon  him,  "Now;  then  !"  cried  the  Eagle  ;  but 
the  Tortoise,  before  he  could  answer  him  a 
word,  fell  plump  upon  a  rock,  and  was  dashed 
to  pieces. 

Pride  shall  have  a  fall. 

FABLE   XXXVII. 

THE  MULE. 

A  Mule  that  had  grown  fat  and  wanton  on 
too  great  an  allowance  of  corn,  was  one  day 
jumping  and  kicking  about,  and  at  length, 
cocking  up  her  tail,  exclaimed  :  '  '  My  dam  was 
a  Racer,  and  I  am  quite  as  good  as  ever  she 
was."  But,  being  soon  knocked  up  with  her 
galloping  and  frisking,  she  remembered  all  at 
once  that  her  sire  was  but  an  Ass. 

Every  truth  has  two  sides  ;  it  is  well  to  look 
at  both  before  we  commit  ourselves  to  either 


t>are  an&  tbe  tTortoise         61 


FABLE  XXXVIII. 

THE  HARE  AND  THE  TORTOISE. 

A  Hare  jeered  at  a  Tortoise  for  the  slowness 
of  his  pace.  But  he  laughed  and  said,  that  he 
would  run  against  her  and  beat  her  any  day  she 
would  name.  "  Come  on,"  said  the  Hare,  "you 
shall  soon  see  what  my  feet  are  made  of."  So 
it  was  agreed  that  they  should  start  at  once. 
The  Tortoise  went  off  jogging  along,  without 
a  moment's  stopping,  at  his  usual  steady  pace. 
The  Hare,  treating  the  whole  matter  very 
lightly,  said  she  would  first  take  a  little  nap, 
and  that  she  should  soon  overtake  the  Tortoise. 
Meanwhile  the  Tortoise  plodded  on,  and  the 
Hare,  oversleeping  herself,  arrived  at  the  goal, 


62  Cbe  -jbeh  and  tbc  Cat 


only  to  see  that  the  Tortoise  had  got  in  before 
her. 

Slow  and  steady  wins  the  race. 


FABI.E  XXXIX. 
THE  HEN  AND   THE  CAT. 

A  Cat  hearing  that  a  Hen  was  laid  up  sick  in 
her  nest,  paid  her  a  visit  of  condolence ;  and 
creeping  up  to  her,  said  :  "  How  are  you,  my 
dear  friend  ?  what  can  I  do  for  you  ?  what  are 
you  in  want  of?  only  tell  me,  if  there  is  any 
thing  in  the  world  that  I  can  bring  you ;  but 
keep  up  your  spirits,  and  don't  be  alarmed." 
"Thank  you,"  said  the  Hen  ;  "do  you  be  good 
enough  to  leave  me,  and  I  have  no  fear  but  I 
shall  soon  be  well." 

Unbidden  guests  are  often  welcomest  when 
they  are  gone. 


Gbe  SbepbcrJ>=S3oB  anfc  tbe  iffilolf    63 


PABI.E  XI,. 

THE  SHEPHERD-BOY  AND  THE  WOLF. 

A  Shepherd-Boy,  who  tended  his  flock  not  far 
from  a  village,  used  to  amuse  himself  at  times 


04  £be  Sfcfc  Stas 

in  crying  out  "Wolf !  Wolf!"  Twice  or  thrice 
his  trick  succeeded.  The  whole  village  came 
running  out  to  his  assistance  ;  when  all  the  re- 
turn they  got  was  to  be  laughed  at  for  their 
pains.  At  last  one  day  the  Wolf  came  indeed. 
The  Boy  cried  out  iu  earnest.  But  his  neigh- 
bors, supposing  him  to  be  at  his  old  sport,  paid 
no  heed  to  his  cries,  and  the  Wolf  devoured  the 
Sheep.  So  the  Boy  learned,  when  it  was  too 
late,  that  liars  are  not  believed  even  when  they 
tell  the  truth. 

FABLE  XI<I. 

THE  SICK  STAG. 

A  Stag  that  had  fallen  sick  lay  down  on  the 
rich  herbage  of  a  lawn,  close  to  a  wood-side, 
that  she  might  obtain  an  easy  pasturage.  But 
so  many  of  the  beasts  came  to  see  her — for  she 
was  a  good  sort  of  neighbor — that  one  taking  a 
little,  and  another  a  little,  they  ate  up  all  the 
grass  in  the  place.  So,  though  recovering  from 
the  disease,  she  pined  for  want,  and  in  the  end 
lost  both  her  substance  and  her  life. 


©10  Woman  an£>  tbe  Wine*;jar    65 


FABLE 

THE  OLD  WOMAN  AND  THE  WINE-JAR. 
An  Old  Woman  saw  an  empty  Wine-jar  lyin^ 
on  the  ground.  Though  not  a  drop  of  the  noble 
Falernian,  with  which  it  ^ 
had  been  filled,  remained, 
it  still  yielded  a  grateful 
fragrance  to  the  passers- 
by.  The  Old  Woman, 
applying  her  nose  as 
close  as  she  could,  and 
snuffing  with  all  her 
might  and  main,  ex- 
claimed :  "  Sweet  crea- 
ture !  how  charming  must 
your  contents  once  have 
been,  when  the  very 
dregs  are  so  delicious  !  " 


XUII. 

THE  MOON  AND  HER  MOTHER. 
The  Moon  once  asked  her  Mother  to  make 
her    a    little    cloak    that   would    fit  her   well. 


66      Gbe  Sss  and  tbe  Grasshopper 

"How,"  replied  she,  "can  I  make  you  a  cloak 
to  fit  you,  who  are  now  a  New  Moon,  and  then 
a  Full  Moon,  and  then  again  neither  one  nor 
the  other?" 


FABI/E  XLIV.   . 

THE  ASS  AND  THE  GRASSHOPPER. 

An  Ass  hearing  some  Grasshoppers  chirping, 
was  delighted  with  the  music,  and  determining, 
if  he  could,  to  rival  them,  asked  them  what  it 
was  that  they  fed  upon  to  make  them  sing  so 
sweetly?  When  they  told  him  that  they  supped 
upon  nothing  but  dew,  the  Ass  betook  himself 
to  the  same  diet,  and  soon  died  of  hunger. 

One  man's  meat  is  another  man's  poison. 


tfoj  anb  tbe  IKaoofcrnan         67 


FABI.K 

THE  FOX  AND  THE  WOODMAN. 
A  Fox  hard  pressed  by  the  Hounds  after  a 
long  run,  came  up  to  a  Man  who  was  cutting 
wood,  and  begged  him  to  afford  him  some  place 
where  he  might  hide  himself,  The  Man  showed 
him  his  own  hut,  and  the  Fox,  creeping  in,  hid 
himself  in  a  corner.  The  Hunters  presently 
came  up,  and  asking  the  Man  whether  he  had 


68  Ebe  Xamb  an&  tbc  Udolf 

seen  the  Fox,  "  No,"  said  he,  but  pointed  with 
his  finger  to  the  corner.  They,  however,  not 
understanding  the  hint,  were  off  again  immedi- 
ately. When  the  Fox  perceived  that  they  were 
out  of  sight,  he  was  stealing  off  without  saying 
a  word.  But  the  Man  upbraided  him,  saying  : 
'  '  Is  this  the  way  you  take  leave  of  your  host, 
without  a  word  of  thanks  for  your  safety?  "  "  A 
pretty  host  !  "  said  the  Fox,  turning  round  upon 
him.  "If  you  had  been  as  honest  with  your 
fingers  as  you  were  with  your  tongue,  I  should 
not  have  left  your  roof  without  bidding  you 
farewell." 

There  is  as  much  malice  in  a  wink  as  in  a 
word. 


FABI,:E 

THE  LAMB  AND  THE  WOLF. 
A  I/amb  pursued  by  a  Wolf  took  refuge  in  a 
temple.  Upon  this  the  Wolf  called  out  to  him, 
and  said  that  the  priest  would  slay  him  if  he 
caught  him.  "Be  it  so,"  said  the  I/amb  ;  "it 
is  better  to  be  sacrificed  to  God  than  to  be  de- 
voured by  you." 


<Ibe  Crow  and  tbe  pftcber 


XLVII. 

THE  CROW  AND  THE  PITCHER. 

A  Crow,  ready  to  die  with  thirst,  flew  with 
joy  to  a  Pitcher  which  he  saw  at  a  distance. 
But  when  he  came  up  to  it,  he  found  the  water 
so  low  that  with  all  his  stooping  and  straining 
he  was  unable  to  reach  it.  Thereupon  he  tried 
to  break  the  Pitcher,  then  to  overturn  it,  but 
his  strength  was  not  sufficient  to  do  either.  At 
last,  seeing  some  small  pebbles  at  hand,  he 
dropped  a  great  many  of  them,  one  by  one,  into 


70  5upiter  anfc  tbe  Camel 

the  Pitcher,   and  so   raised  the   water  to  the 
brim,  and  quenched  his  thirst. 

Skill  and  Patience  will  succeed  where  Force 
fails.     Necessity  is  the  Mother  of  Invention. 


THE  CRAB  AND  HER  MOTHER. 
Said  an  old  Crab  to  a  young  one  :  "  Why  do 
you  walk  so  crooked,  child  ?     Walk  straight  !  " 
"Mother,"  said  the  young   Crab,   "show  me 
the  way,  will  you?  and  when  I  see  you  taking 
a  straight  course  I  will  try  and  follow." 
Example  is  better  than  precept. 

PABI.E    XIJX. 

JUPITER  AND  THE  CAMEL. 

When  the  Camel,  in  days  of  yore,  besought 
Jupiter  to  grant  him  horns,  for  that  it  was  a 
great  grief  to  him  to  see  other  animals  furnished 
with  them,  while  he  had  none,  Jupiter  not  only 
refused  to  give  him  the  horns  he  asked  for,  but 
cropped  his  ears  short  for  his  importunity. 

By  asking  too  much  we  may  lose  the  little 
that  we  had  before. 


2>oe 


FABLE  L. 
THE  ONE-EYED  DOE. 

A  Doe  that  had  but  one  eye  used  to  graze  near 
the  sea,  and  that  she  might  be  the  more  secure 
from  attack,  kept  her  eye  towards  the  land 
against  the  approach  of  the  hunters,  and  her 
blind  side  towards  the  sea,  whence  she  feared 
no  danger.  But  some  sailors  rowing  by  in  a 
boat  and  seeing  her,  aimed  at  her  from  the 
water  and  shot  her.  When  at  her  last  gasp  she 


72  £be  %ion  an&  tbe 

sighed  to  herself:  "Ill-fated  creature  that  I 
am  !  I  was  safe  on  the  land-side  whence  I  ex- 
pected to  be  attacked,  but  find  an  enemy  in  the 
sea  to  which  I  most  looked  for  protection." 

Our  troubles  often  come  from  the  quarter 
whence  we  least  expect  them. 

FABI,E   U. 

THE  LION  AND  THE  FOX. 

A  Fox  agreed  to  wait  upon  a  Lion  in  the 
capacity  of  a  servant.  Each  for  a  time  per- 
formed the  part  belonging  to  his  station  ;  the 
Fox  used  to  point  out  the  prey,  and  the  Lion 
fell  upon  it  and  seized  it.  But  the  Fox,,  begin- 
ning to  think  himself  as  good  a  beast  as  his 
master,  begged  to  be  allowed  to  hunt  the  game 
instead  of  finding  it.  His  request  was  granted, 
but  as  he  was  in  the  act  of  making  a  descent 
upon  a  herd,  the  huntsmen  came  out  upon  him 
and  he  was  himself  made  the  prize. 

Keep  to  your  place,  and  your  place  will  keep 
you. 


travellers  an&  tbe  JBear 


73 


I 


THE  TRAVELLERS  AND 
THE  BEAR. 

Two  friends  were  travelling 
on  the  same  road  together,  when 
they  met  with  a  Bear.  The  one, 
in  great  fear,  without  a  thought 
of  his  companion,  climbed  up 
into  a  tree,  and  hid  himself.  The 


74 

other  seeing  that  lie  had  no  chance,  single- 
handed,  against  the  Bear,  had  nothing  left  but- 
to  throw  himself  on  the  ground  and  feign  to  be 
dead ;  for  he  had  heard  that  the  Bear  will  never 
touch  a  dead  body.  As  he  thus  lay,  the  Bear 
came  up  to  his  head,  muzzling  and  snuffing  at 
his  nose,  and  ears,  and  heart,  but  the  man  im- 
movably held  his  breath,  and  the  beast,  suppos- 
ing him  to  be  dead,  walked  away.  When  the 
Bear  was  fairly  out  of  sight,  his  companion 
came  down  out  of  the  tree,  and  asked  what  it 
was  that  the  Bear  whispered  to  him, — "for," 
says  he,  "I  observed  he  put  his  mouth  very 
close  to  your  ear."  "Why,"  replies  the  other, 
"it  was  no  great  secret;  he  only  bade  me  have 
a  care  how  I  kept  company  with  those  who, 
when  they  get  into  a  difficulty,  leave  their 
friends  in  a  lurch." 


Sta0  in  tbe  ©j*Stall 


75 


FABLE  Wn. 

THE  STAG  IN  THE  OX-STALL. 
A  hunted  Stag,  driven  out  of  covert  and  dis- 
tracted by  fear,  made  for  the  first  farm-house 
he  saw,  and  hid  himself  in  an  Ox-stall  which 
happened  to  be  open.  As  he  was  trying  to  con- 
ceal himself  tinder  the  straw,  "What  can  you 
mean,"  said  an  Ox,  "  by  running  into  such  cer- 
tain destruction  as  to  trust  yourself  to  the  haunts 
of  man  ?  "  "  Only  do  you  not  betray  me,"  said 
the  Stag,  ' '  and  I  shall  be  off  again  on  the  first 
opportunity."  Evening  came  on  ;  the  her..:,- 


76          £be  Stag  in  tbe  ©j=Stall 

man  foddered  the  cattle,  but  observed  nothing. 
The  other  farm-servants  came  in  and  out.  The 
Stag  was  still  safe.  Presently  the  bailiff  passed 
through  ;  all  seemed  right.  The  Stag  now  feel- 
ing himself  quite  secure  began  to  thank  the 
Oxen  for  their  hospitality.  "Wait  awhile," 
said  one  of  them,  "we  indeed  wish  you  well, 
but  there  is  yet  another  person,  one  with  a  hun- 
dred eyes ;  if  he  should  happen  to  come  this 
way,  I  fear  your  life  will  be  still  in  jeopardy. " 
While  he  was  speaking,  the  Master,  having 
finished  his  supper,  came  round  to  see  that  all 
was  safe  for  the  night,  for  he  thought  that  his 
cattle  had  not  of  late  looked  as  well  as  they 
ought.  Going  up  to  the  rack — ' '  Why  so  little 
fodder  here?"  said  he.  "  Why  is  there  not  more 
straw?"  And  "How  long,  I  wonder,  would  it 
take  to  sweep  down  these  cobwebs  !  "  Prying 
and  observing,  here  and  there  and  everywhere, 
the  Stag's  antlers,  jutting  from  out  the  straw, 
caught  his  eye,  and  calling  in  his  servants  he 
instantly  made  prize  of  him. 

No  eye  like  the  Master's  eye. 


Collier  anD  tbc  fuller 


uv. 

THE  COLLIER  AND 
THE  FULLER. 


you," 
offer; 
goods 


A  Collier,  who  had 
more  room  in  his  house 
than  he  wanted  for 
himself,  proposed  to  a 
Fuller  to  come  and 
take  up  his  quarters 
with  him.  "Thank 
said  the  Fuller,  "but  I  must  decline  your 
for  I  fear  that  as  fast  as  I  whiten  my 
you  will  blacken  them  again." 


73     tlbe  Xion,  tbc  Bes,  anfc  tbe  jfoi 

There  can  be  little  liking  where  there  is  no 
likeness. 

FABLE  LV. 

THE    LION,    THE    ASS,    AND    THE    FOX 
HUNTING. 

The  Lion,  the  Ass,  and  the  Fox  formed  a 
party  to  go  out  hunting.  They  took  a  large 
booty,  and  when  the  sport  was  ended  bethought 
themselves  of  having  a  hearty  meal.  The  Lion 
bade  the  Ass  allot  the  spoil.  So  dividing  it  into 
three  equal  parts,  the  Ass  begged  his  friends  to 
make  their  choice  ;  at  which  the  Lion,  in  great 
indignation,  fell  upon  the  Ass,  and  tore  him  to 
pieces.  He  then  bade  the  Fox  make  a  division  ; 
who,  gathering  the  whole  into  one  great  heap, 
reserved  but  the  smallest  mite  for  himself. 
"  Ah  !  friend,"  says  the  Lion,  "who  taught  you 
to  make  so  equitable  a  division  ?  "  "I  wanted 
no  other  lesson,"  replied  the  Fox,  "  than  the 
Ass's  fate." 

Better  be  wise  by  the  misfortunes  of  others 
than  by  your  own. 


tTbe  Bss  and  tbe  OLap*I)og 


FABLE  LVI. 
THE  ASS  AND  THE  LAP-DOG. 

There  was  an  Ass  and  a  I,ap-dog  that  be- 
longed to  the  same  master.  The  Ass  was  tied 
up  in  the  stable,  and  had  plenty  of  corn  and 
hay  to  eat,  and  was  as  well  off  as  Ass  could  be. 
The  little  Dog  was  always  sporting  and  gambol- 
ling about,  caressing  and  fawning  upon  his 
master  in  a  thousand  amusing  ways,  so  that  he  be- 
came a  great  favorite,  and  was  permitted  to  lie  in 
his  master's  lap.  The  Ass,  indeed,  had  enough 


8o         £be  BSS  anD  tbc 


to  do  ;  he  was  drawing  wood  all  day,  and  had 
to  take  his  turn  at  the  mill  at  night.  But  while 
he  grieved  over  his  own  lot,  it  galled  him  more 
to  see  the  Lap-dog  living  in  such  ease  and  lux- 
ury ;  so  thinking  that  if  he  acted  a  like  part  to 
his  master,  he  should  fare  the  same,  he  broke 
one  day  from  his  halter,  and  rushing  into  the 
hall  began  to  kick  and  prance  about  in  the 
strangest  fashion  ;  then  swishing  his  tail  and 
mimicking  the  frolics  of  the  favorite,  he  upset 
the  table  where  his  master  was  at  dinner,  break- 
ing it  in  two  and  smashing  all  the  crockery  ; 
nor  would  he  leave  off  till  he  jumped  upon  his 
master,  and  pawed  him  with  his  rough-shod 
feet.  The  servants,  seeing  their  master  in  no 
little  danger,  thought  it  was  now  high  time  to 
interfere,  and  having  released  him  from  the 
Ass's  caresses,  they  so  belabored  the  silly  crea- 
ture with  sticks  and  staves,  that  he  never  got 
up  again  ;  and  as  he  breathed  his  last,  exclaimed  : 
"Why  could  not  I  have  been  satisfied  with  my 
natural  position,  without  attempting  by  tricks 
and  grimaces,  to  imitate  one  who  was  but  a 
puppy  after  all  !  " 


{Ebe  WinJ)  and  tbe  Sun 


81 


FABLE    I/VII. 

THE  WIND  AND  THE  SUN. 

A  dispute  once  arose  between 
the  Wind  and  the  Sun,  which 
was  the  stronger  of  the  two, 
land    they   agreed  to   put  the 
'point    upon    this   issue,    that 
whichever    soonest     made    a 


traveller  take  off  his  cloak,  should  be  account- 
ed the  more  powerful.  The  Wind  began,  and 
blew  with  all  his  might  and  main  a  blast,  cold 
and  fierce  as  a  Thracian  storm  ;  but  the  stronger 
he  blew,  the  closer  the  traveller  wrapped  his 
cloak  around  him,  and  the  tighter  he  grasped 
it  with  his  hands.  Then  broke  out  the  Sun  : 
with  his  welcome  beams  he  dispersed  the  va- 
por and  the  cold ;  the  traveller  felt  the  genial 
warmth,  and  as  the  Sun  shone  brighter  and 
brighter,  he  sat  down,  overcome  with  the  heat, 
and  cast  his  cloak  on  the  ground. 

Thus  the  Sun  was  declared  the  conqueror  ; 
and  it  has  ever  been  deemed  that  persuasion  is 
better  than  force  ;  and  that  the  sunshine  of  a 
kind  and  gentle  manner  will  sooner  lay  open  a 
poor  man's  heart  than  all  the  threatenings  and 
force  of  blustering  authority. 


Gbe  Erees  anfc  tbe  Bjc 


FABLE;  i/vm. 
THE  TREES   AND  THE  AXE. 

A  Woodman  came  into  a  forest  to  ask  the 
Trees  to  give  him  a  handle  for  his  Axe.  It 
seemed  so  modest  a  request  that  the  principal 
Trees  at  once  agreed  to  it,  and  it  was  settled 
among  them  that  the  plain  homely  Ash  should 
furnish  what  was  wanted.  No  sooner  had  the 
Woodman  fitted  the  staff  to  his  purpose,  than 
he  began  laying  about  him  on  all  sides,  felling 


84          Gbe  tmre  an&  tbe  t>ounD 

the  noblest  Trees  in  the  wood.  The  Oak,  now 
seeing  the  whole  matter  too  late,  whispered  to 
the  Cedar  :  "  The  first  concession  has  lost  all  , 
if  we  had  not  sacrificed  our  humble  neighbor, 
we  might  have  yet  stood  for  ages  ourselves." 

When  the  rich  surrender  the  rights  of  the 
poor,  they  give  a  handle  to  be  used  against 
their  own  privileges. 


WX. 
THE  HARE  AND  THE  HOUND. 

A  Hound  having  put  up  a  Hare  from  a  bush 
chased  her  for  some  distance,  but  the  Hare  had 
the  best  of  it,  and  got  off.  A  Goatherd  who  was 
coming  by  jeered  at  the  Hound,  saying  that 
Puss  was  the  better  runner  of  the  two.  "  You 
forget,"  replied  the  Hound,  "that  it  is  one 
thing  to  be  running  for  your  dinner,  and  an- 
other for  your  life." 


Xion  in  Xove 


FABLE;  i«x. 

THE  LION  IN  LOVE. 

It  happened  in  days  of  old  that  a  Lion  fell  in 
love  with  a  Woodman's  daughter ;  and  had 
the  folly  to  ask  her  of  her  father  in  marriage. 
The  Woodman  was  not  much  pleased  with  the 
offer,  and  declined  the  honor  of  so  dangerous 
an  alliance.  But  upon  the  Lion  threatening 
him  with  his  royal  displeasure,  the  poor  Man, 
seeing  that  so  formidable  a  creature  was  not  to 
be  denied,  hit  at  length  upon  this  expedient : 


86       Cbe  2>olpbin0  anfc  tbe  Sprat 

"I  feel/greatly  flattered,"  said  he,  "  with  your 
proposal  ;  but,  noble  sir,  what  great  teeth  you 
have  got  !  and  what  great  claws  you  have  got  ! 
where  is  the  damsel  that  would  not  be  fright- 
ened at  such  weapons  as  these?  You  must 
have  your  teeth  drawn  and  your  claws  pared 
before  you  can  be  a  suitable  bridegroom  for  my 
daughter."  The  Lion  straightway  submitted 
(for  what  will  not  a  body  do  for  love?)  and 
then  called  upon  the  father  to  accept  him  as  a 
son-in-law.  But  the  Woodman,  no  longer 
afraid  of  the  tamed  and  disarmed  bully,  seized 
a  stout  cudgel  and  drove  the  unreasonable 
suitor  from  his  door. 


THE  DOLPHINS  AND  THE  SPRAT.  , 
The  Dolphins  and  the  Whales  were  at  war 
with  one  another,  and  while  the  battle  was  at 
its  height,  the  Sprat  stepped  in  and  endeavored 
to  separate  them.  But  one  of  the  Dolphins 
cried  out:  "Let  us  alone,  friend!  We  had 
rather  perish  in  the  contest  than  be  reconciled 
by  you." 


Cbe  "Molvcs  anb  tbc  Sbeep 


THE  WOLVES  AND  THE 
SHEEP. 


Once  on  a  time,  the  Wolves 
sent  an  embassy  to  the  Sheep, 
desiring  that  there  might  be 
peace  between  them  for  the 

i  time  to  come.  "Why, "said 
they,  "should  we  be  forever 

i  waging    this   deadly    strife? 


Cbe  JBltnfc  /Ifcan  an&  tbe 


Those  wicked  Dogs  are  the  cause  of  all  ;  they 
are  incessantly  barking  at  us,  and  provoking  us. 
Send  them  away,  and  there  will  be  no  longer 
any  obstacle  to  our  eternal  friendship  and 
peace."  The  silly  Sheep  listened,  the  Dogs 
were  dismissed,  and  the  flock,  thus  deprived 
of  their  best  protectors,  became  an  easy  prey 
to  their  treacherous  enemy. 


FABLE 

THE  BLIND  MAN  AND  THE  WHELP. 

A  Blind  Man  was  wont,  on  any  animal  being 
put  into  his  hands,  to  say  what  it  was.  Once 
they  brought  to  him  a  Wolf's  Whelp.  He  felt 
it  all  over,  and  being  in  doubt,  said:  "I  know 
not  whether  thy  father  was  a  Dog  or  a  Wolf ; 
but  this  I  know,  that  I  would  not  trust  thee 
among  a  flock  of  sheep. 

Evil  dispositions  are  early  shown. 


JScll^  anD  tbc  Members 


THE  BELLY  AND  THE  MEMBERS. 

In  former  days,  when  all  .a  man's  limbs  did 
not  work  together  as  amicably  as  they  do  now, 
but  each  had  a  will  and  way  of  its  own,  the 
Members  generally  began  to  find  fault  with  the 
Belly  for  spending  an  idle,  luxurious  life,  while 
they  were  wholly  occupied  in  laboring  for  its 
support,  and  ministering  to  its  wants  and  pleas- 
ures ;  so  they  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to  cut 
off  its  supplies  for  the  future.  The  Hands  were 
no  longer  to  carry  food  to  the  Mouth,  nor  the 


go  Gbe  Bov>e  anD  tbe  Crow 

Mouth  to  receive  the  food,  nor  the  Teeth  to 
chew  it.  They  had  not  long  persisted  in  this 
course  of  starving  the  Belly  into  subjection,  ere 
they  all  began,  one  by  one,  to  fail  and  flag,  and 
the  whole  body  to  pine  away.  Then  the  Mem- 
bers were  convinced  that  the  Belly  also,  cum- 
bersome and  useless  as  it  seemed,  had  an  im- 
portant function  of  its  own  ;  that  they  could  no 
more  do  without  it  than  it  could  do  without 
them  ;  and  that  if  they  would  have  the  consti- 
tution of  the  body  in  a  healthy  state,  they  must 
work  together,  each  in  his  proper  sphere,  for 
the  common  good  of  all. 

FABI,E  LXV. 

THE  DOVE  AND  THE  CROW. 
A  Dove  that  was  kept  shut  up  in  a  cage  was 
congratulating  herself  upon  the  number  of  her 
family.  "  Cease,  good  soul,"  said  a  Crow,  "to 
boast  on  that  subject ;  for  the  more  young  ones 
you  have,  so  many  more  slaves  will  you  have  to 
groan  over." 

What  are  blessings  in  freedom  are  curses  in 
slavery. 


HERCULES  AND  THE  WAGONER. 

As  a  Countryman  was  carelessly  driving  his 
wagon  along  a  miry  lane, 
his  wheels  stuck  so  deep  in 
the  clay  that  the  horses  came 
to  a  standstill.  Upon  this 
theMan,  without  making  the 
least  effort  of  his  own,  be- 
gan to  call  upon  Hercules 


92        Cbe  fl&onfcee  and  tbe  Camel 

to  come  and  help  him  out  of  his  trouble. 
But  Hercules  bade  him  lay  his  shoulder  to  the 
wheel,  assuring  him  that  Heaven  only  aided 
those  who  endeavored  to  help  themselves. 

It  is  in  vain  to  expect  our  prayers  to  be  heard, 
if  we  do  not  strive  as  well  as  pray. 


THE  MONKEY  AND  THE  CAMEL. 

At  a  great  meeting  of  the  Beasts,  the  Monkey 
stood  up  to  dance.  Having  greatly  distinguished 
himself,  and  being  applauded  by  all  present,  it 
moved  the  spleen  of  the  Camel,  who  came  for- 
ward and  began  to  dance  also ;  but  he  made 
himself  so  utterly  absurd,  that  all  the  Beasts  in 
indignation  set  upon  him  with  clubs  and  drove 
him  out  of  the  ring. 

Stretch  your  arm  no  farther  than  your  sleeve 
will  reach. 


ffos  witbout  a  trail 


93 


FABI.E  IvXVIII. 

THE  FOX  WITHOUT  A  TAIL. 
A  Fox  being  caught  in  a  trap,  was  glad  to  com- 
pound for  his  neck  by  leaving  his  tail  behind 
him  ;  but  upon  coming  abroad  into  the  world, 
he  began  to  be  so  sensible  of  the  disgrace  such 
a  defect  would  bring  upon  him,  that  he  almost 
wished  he  had  died  rather  than  come  away  with- 
out it.  Howaver,  resolving  to  make  the  best  of 
a  bad  matter,  he  called  a  meeting  of  the  rest  of 
the  Foxes,  and  proposed  that  all  should  follow 
his  example.  "  You  have  no  notion,"  said  he, 
"  of  the  ease  and  comfort  with  which  I  now  move 
about ;  I  could  never  have  believed  it  if  I  had 


94  fTbe  tfartbiiiQ  Iflusbligbt 

not  tried  it  myself;  but  really,  wheu  one  comes 
to  reason  upon  it,  a  tail  is  such  an  ugly,  incon- 
venient, unnecessary  appendage,  that  the  only 
wonder  is  that,  as  Foxes,  we  could  have  put  up 
with  it  so  long.  I  propose,  therefore,  my 
worthy  brethren,  that  you  all  profit  by  the  ex- 
perience that  I  am  most  willing  to  afford  you, 
and  that  all  Foxes  from  this  day  forward  cut  off 
their  tails."  Upon  this  one  of  the  oldest  step- 
ped forward,  and  said:  "I  rather  think,  my 
friend,  that  you  would  not  have  advised  us  to 
part  with  our  tails,  if  there  were  any  chance  of 
recovering  your  own." 


lyXIX. 

THE  FARTHING  RUSHLIGHT. 
A  Rushlight  that  had  grown  fat  and  saucy 
with  too  much  grease,  boasted  one  evening  be- 
fore a  large  company,  that  it  shone  brighter 
than  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  all  the  stars.  At 
that  moment,  a  puff  of  wind  came  and  blew  it 
out.  One  who  lighted  it  again  said:  "Shine 
on,  friend  Rushlight,  and  hold  your  tongue  : 
the  lights  of  heaven  are  never  blown  out." 


1>ares  and  tbe 


95 


LXX. 
THE  HARES  AND  THE  FROGS. 

Once  upon  a  time,  the  Hares,  driven  des- 
perate by  the  many  enemies  that  compassed 
them  about  on  every  side,  came  to  the  sad 
resolution  that  there  was  nothing  left  for  them 
but  to  make  away  with  themselves,  one  and  all. 
Off  they  scudded  to  a  lake  hard  by,  determined 
to  drown  themselves  as  the  most  miserable  of 
creatures.  A  shoal  of  Frogs  seated  upon  the 


g6  abe  Xioness 

bank,  frightened  at  the  approach  of  the  Hares, 
leaped  in  the  greatest  alarm  and.  confusion  into 
the  water.  "Nay,  then,  my  friends,"  said  a 
Hare  that  was  foremost,  "  our  case  is  not  so  des- 
perate yet  ;  for  here  are  other  poor  creatures 
more  faint-hearted  than  ourselves." 

Take  not  comfort,  but  courage,  from  another's 
distress  ;  and  be  sure,  whatever  your  misery, 
that  there  are  some  whose  lot  you  would  not 
exchange  with  your  own. 


Z,XXT. 


THE  LIONESS. 

There  was  a  great  stir  made  among  all  the 
Beasts,  which  could  boast  of  the  largest  family. 
So  they  came  to  the  Lioness.  "And  how 
many,"  said  they,  "  do  you  have  at  a  birth?" 
"One,"  said  she,  grimly;  "but  that  one  is  a 
Lion." 

• 

Quality  comes  before  quantity. 


Cbe  Bn^ler  anO  tbe  "Little  fftsb     97 


FABLE    LXXII. 

THE  ANGLER  AND  THE  LITTLE  FISH. 
An  Angler,  who  gained  his  livelihood  by  fish- 
ing, after  a  long  day's  toil  caught  nothing  but 
one  little  fish.  "Spare  me,"  said  the  little 
creature,  ' '  I  beseech  you  ;  so  small  as  I  am,  I 
shall  make  you  but  a  sorry  meal.  I  am  not 
come  to  my  full  size  yet ;  throw  me  back  into 
the  river  for  the  present,  and  then,  when  I  am 
grown  bigger  and  worth  eating,  you  may  come 
here  and  catch  me  again."  "  No,. no,"  said  the 
Man  ;  "I  have  got  you  now,  but  if  you  once 


gS          £be  ^farmer  an£>  hie  Sons 

get  back  into  the  water,  your  tune  will  be, 
'  Catch  me  if  you  can.'  " 

A  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush. 


FABLE  LXXIII. 

THE  FARMER  AND  HIS  SONS. 

A  Farmer  being  on  the  point  of  death,  and 
wishing  to  show  his  Sons  the  way  to  success  in 
farming,  called  them  to  him,  and  said:-'*My 
children,  I  am  now  departing  from  this  life, 
but  all  that  I  have  to  leave  you,  you  will  find  in 
the  vineyard."  The  Sons,  supposing  that  he 
referred  to  some  hidden  treasure,  as  soon  as  the 
old  man  was  dead,  set  to  work  with  their 
spades  and  ploughs  and  every  implement  that 
was  at  hand,  and  turned  up  the  soil  over  and 
over  again.  They  found  indeed  no  treasure ; 
but  the  vines,  strengthened  and  improved  by 
this  thorough  tillage,  yielded  a  finer  vintage 
than  they  had  ever  yielded  before,  and  more 
than  repaid  the  young  husbandmen  for  all 
their  trouble.  So  truly  is  industry  in  itself  a 
treasure. 


fw0ban&man  an&  tbc  Stork    99 


i,xxiv. 
THE  HUSBANDMAN  AND  THE  STORK. 

A  Husbandman  fixed  a  net  in  his  field  to 
catch  the  Cranes  that  came  to  feed  on  his  new- 
sown  corn.  When  he  went  to  examine  the  net, 
and  see  what  Cranes  he  had  taken,  a  Stork  was 
found  among  the  number.  "Spare  me,"  cried 
the  Stork,  "  and  let  me  go  ;  I  am  no  Crane.  I 
have  eaten  none  of  your  corn.  I  am  a  poor  in- 


ioo        ftbe  dfcole  an&  ber  flfcotber 

nocent  Stork,  as  you  may  see  —  the  most  pious 
and  dutiful  of  birds.  I  honor  and  succor  my 
father  and  mother.  I  -  "  But  the  Husband- 
man cut  him  short.  "All  this  may  be  true 
enough,  I  dare  say,  but  this  I  know  that  I  have 
caught  you  with  those  who  were  destroying  my 
crops,  and  you  must  suffer  with  the  company 
in  which  you  are  taken." 

Ill  company  proves  more  than  fair  profes- 
sions. 


i,xxv. 
THE  MOLE  AND  HER  MOTHER. 

Said  a  young  Mole  to  her  Mother  :  "  Mother, 
I  can  see."  So  in  order  to  try  her,  her  mother 
put  a  lump  of  frankincense  before  her  and 
asked  her  what  it  was.  "A  stone,"  said  the 
young  one.  "  Oh,  rny  child,"  said  the  Mother, 
"not  only  do  you  not  see,  but  you  cannot  even 
smell." 

Brag  upon  one  defect,  and  betray  another. 


©ID  Woman  anfc  tbe  ftbgsician    101 


I,XXVI. 
THE  OLD  WOMAN  AND  THE  PHYSICIAN. 

An  Old  Woman,  who  had  become  blind,  called 
in  a  Physician,  and  promised  him,  before  wit- 
nesses, that  if  he  would  restore  her  eyesight  she 
would  give  him  a  most  handsome  reward,  but 
that  if  he  did  not  cure  her,  and  her  malady 
remained,  he  should  receive  nothing.  The 
agreement  being  concluded,  the  Physician  tam- 
pered from  time  to  time  with  the  Old  Lady's 
eyes,  and  meanwhile,  bit  by  bit,  carried  off  her 
goods.  At  length  after  a  time  he  set  about  the 
task  in  earnest  and  cured  her,  and  thereupon 
asked  for  the  stipulated  fee.  But  the  Old  Wo- 
man, on  recovering  her  sight,  saw  none  of  her 
goods  left  in  the  house.  When,  therefore,  the 
Physician  importuned  her  in  vain  for  payment, 
and  she  continually  put  him  off  with  excuses, 
he  summoned  her  at  last  before  the  judges. 
Being  now  called  upon  for  her  defence,  she 
said  :  "  What  this  man  says  is  true  enough  ;  I 
promised  to  give  him  his  fee  if  my  sight 
were  restored,  and  nothing  if  my  eyes  contin- 


102      dbe  Swallow  anb  the 

ued  bad.  Now,  then,  he  says  that  I  am  cured, 
but  I  say  just  the  contrary  ;  for  when  my  mal- 
ady first  came  on  I  could  see  all  sorts  of  furni- 
ture and  goods  in  niy  house  ;  but' now,  when  he 
says  he  has  restored  my  sight,  I  cannot  see  one 
jot  of  either." 

He  who  plays  a  trick  must  be  prepared  to 
take  a  joke. 


LXXVII. 

THE  SWALLOW  AND  THE  RAVEN. 

The  .Swallow  and  the  Raven  contended  which 
was  the  finer  bird.  The  Raven  ended  by  saying : 
"  Your  beauty  is  but  for  the  summer,  but  mine 
will  stand  many  winters." 

Durability  is  better  than  show. 


Ifturse  and  tbe  Wolf 


FABLE;  LXXVIII. 

THE  NURSE  AND  THE 
WOLF. 

A  Wolf,  roving  about  in  search 
of  food,  passed  by  a  door  where 
a  child  was  crying  and  its  Nurse 
chiding  it.  As  he  stood  listen- 
-'J*n  ing  he  heard  the  Nurse  say : 
"  Now  leave  off  crying  this  instant,  or  I'll 
throw  you  to  the  Wolf."  So.  thinking  that 


104         Gbe  2>oa  anfc  bis  faster 

the  old  woman  would  be  as  good  as  her 
word,  he  waited  quietly  about  the  house  in 
expectation  of  a  capital  supper.  But  as  it 
grew  dark  and  the  child  became  quiet,  he 
again  heard  the  Nurse,  who  was  now  fondling 
the  child,  say  :  "  There  's  a  good  dear,  then  ; 
if  the  naughty  Wolf  comes  for  my  child  we  '11 
beat  him  to  death,  we  will."  The  Wolf,  disap- 
pointed and  mortified,  thought  it  was  now  high 
time  to  be  going  home,  and,  hungry  as  a  Wolf 
indeed,  muttered  as  he  went  along :  "  This 
comes  of  heeding  people  who  say  one  thing 
and  mean  another !  " 


FABLE   LXXIX. 

THE  DOG  AND  HIS  MASTER. 

A  certain  Man  was  setting  out  on  a  journey, 
when,  seeing  his  Dog  standing  at  the  door,  he 
cried  out  to  him  :  "  What  are  you  gaping  about  ? 
Get  ready  to  come  with  me."  The  Dog,  wag- 
ging his  tail,  said  :  "  I  am  all  right,  Master  ;  it 
is  you  who  have  to  pack  up." 


dfoonheg  and  tbe  SDolpbin      105 

FABI.E   lyXXX. 

THE  MONKEY  AND  THE  DOLPHIN. 

It  was  an  old  custom  among  sailors  to  carry 
about  with  them  little  Maltese  Lap-dogs,  or 
Monkeys,  to  amuse  them  on  the  voyage  ;  so  it 
happened  once  upon  a  time  that  a  man  took 
with  him  a  Monkey  as  a  companion  on  board 
ship.  While  they  were  off  Sunium,  the  famous 
promontory  of  Attica,  the  ship  was  caught  in  a 
violent  storm,  and  being  capsized,  all  on  board 
were  thrown  in  the  water,  and  had  to  swim  for 
land  as  best  they  could.  And  among  them  was 
the  Monkey.  A  Dolphin  saw  him  struggling, 
and,  taking  him  for  a  man,  went  to  his  assist- 
ance and  bore  him  on  his  back  straight  for 
shore.  When  they  had  just  got  opposite  Piraeus, 
the  harbor  of  Athens,  the  Dolphin  asked  the 
Monkey  if  he  were  an  Athenian.  "Yes," 
answered  the  Monkey,  "assuredly,  and  of  one 
of  the  first  families  in  the  place."  "Then,  of 
course,  you  know  Piraeus,"  said  the  Dolphin. 
"Oh,  yes,"  said  the  Monkey,  who  thought  it 
was  the  name  of  some  distinguished  citizen, 


toe         trbe  Motf  anb  tbe  Sbeep 

"he  is  one  of  my  most  intimate  friends." 
Indignant  at  so  gross  a  deceit  and  falsehood, 
the  Dolphin  dived  to  the  bottom,  and  left  the 
lying  Monkey  to  his  fate. 


LXXXI. 

THE  WOLF  AND  THE  SHEEP. 

A  Wolf  that  had  been  bitten  by  a  Dog,  and 
was  in  a  very  sad  case,  being  unable  to  move, 
called  to  a  Sheep,  that  was  passing  by,  and 
begged  her  to  fetch  him  some  water  from  the 
neighboring  stream.  "For  if  you,"  said  he, 
"  will  bring  me  drink,  I  will  find  meat  myself." 
"Yes,"  said  the  Sheep,  "  I  make  no  doubt  of 
it ;  for,  if  I  come  near  enough  to  give  you  the 
drink,  you  will  soon  make  mince-meat  of  me." 


JBunDle  of  Sticks 


107 


FABI45  LXXXII. 

THE  BUNDLE  OF  STICKS. 

A  Husbandman  who  had  a  quarrelsome  fami- 
ly, after  having  tried  in  vain  to  reconcile  them 
by  words,  thought  he  might  more  readily  pre- 
vail by  an  example.  So  he  called  his  sons  and 
bade  them  lay  a  Bundle  of  Sticks  before  him. 
Then  having  tied  them  into  a  faggot,  he  told  the 
lads,  one  after  the  other,  to  take  it  up  and  break 
it.  They  all  tried,  but  tried  in  vain.  Thenun- 


io8       Ebe  THHi&ow  an£>  tbc  Sbecp 

tying  the  faggot,  he  gave  them  the  Sticks  to 
break  one  by  one.  This  they  did  with  the  great- 
est ease.  Then  said  the  father  :  "  Thus  you,  m\ 
sons,  as  long  as  you  remain  united,  are  a  match 
for  all  your  enemies  ;  but  differ  and  separate, 
and  you  are  undone." 

Union  is  strength. 

FABLE  LXXXIII. 
THE  WIDOW  AND  THE  SHEEP. 

There  was  a  certain  Widow  who  had  an  only 
Sheep  ;  and,  wishing  to  make  the  most  of  his 
wool,  she  sheared  him  so  closely  that  she  cut 
his  skin  as  well  as  his  fleece.  The  Sheep, 
smarting  under  this  treatment,  cried  out  : 
"  Why  do  you  torture  me  thus  ?  Wliat  will  my 
blood  add  to  the  weight  of  the  wool  ?  If  you 
want  my  flesh,  Dame,  send  for  the  Butcher, 
who  will  put  me  out  of  my  misery  at  once  ;  but 
if  you  want  my  fleece,  send  for  the  Shearer,  who 
will  clip  my  wool  without  drawing  my  blood." 

Middle  measures  are  often  but  middling 
measures. 


(Tbe  /Bban  an£>  tbe  TLion 


log 


i/xxxrv. 
THE   MAN   AND   THE)   LION. 

Once  upon  a  time,  a  Man  and  a  Lion  were 
journeying  together,  and  came  at  length  to 
high  words  which  was  the  braver  and  stronger 
creature  of  the  two.  As  the  dispute  waxed 
warmer  they  happened  to  pass  by,  on  the  road- 
side, a  statue  of  a  Man  strangling  a  Lion.  ' '  See 
there !"  said  the  Man  ;  "  what  more  undeniable 
proof  can  you  have  of  bur  superiority  than 


/Ran  bitten  bB  a  2>og 

that?"  "That,"  said  the  Lion,  "is  your  ver- 
sion of  the  story  ;  let  us  be  the  sculptors,  and 
for  one  Lion  under  the  feet  of  a  Man,  you  shall 
have  twenty  Men  under  the  paw  of  a  Lion." 

Men  are  but  sorry  witnesses  in  their  own 
cause. 

FABLE  LXXXV. 
THE   MAN    BITTEN   BY   A    DOG. 

A  Man  who  had  been  bitten  by  a  Dog  was  go- 
ing about  asking  who  could  cure  him.  One  that 
met  him  said:  "Sir,  if  you  would  be  cured, 
take  a  bit  of  bread  and  dip  it  in  the  blood  of 
the  wound,  and  give  it  to  the  Dog  that  bit  you. " 
The  Man  smiled,  and  said  :  "If  I  were  to  follow 
your  advice,  I  should  be  bitten  by  all  the  dogs 
in  the  city." 

He  who  proclaims  himself  ready  to  buy  up 
his  enemies  will  never  want  a  supply  of  them. 


tlbe  Iborse  anfc  tbe  Stag 


THE   HORSE   AND   THE   STAG. 

A  Horse  had  the  whole  range  of  a  meadow  to 
himself;  but  a  Stag  coming  and  damaging  the 
pasture,  the  Horse,  anxious  to  have  his  re- 
venge, asked  a  Man  if  he  could  not  assist  him 
in  punishing  the  Stag.  "Yes,"  said  the  Man, 
"  only  let  me  put  a  bit  in  your  mouth,  and  get 


ii2     tEbe  JBir&catcber  anb  tbe  Xarh 

upon  your  back,  and  I  will  find  the  weapons." 
The  Horse  agreed,  and  the  Man  mounted  ac- 
cordingly •  but  instead  of  getting  his  revenge, 
the  Horse  has  been  from  that  time  forward  the 
slave  of  Man. 

Revenge  is  too  dearly  purchased  at  the  price 
of  liberty. 

FABLE  LXXXVII. 

THE  BIRDCATCHER  AND  THE  LARK. 

A  Birdcatcher  was  setting  springes  upon  a 
common,  when  a  Lark,  who  saw  him  at  work, 
asked  him  from  a  distance  what  he  was  doing. 
"I  am  establishing  a  colony,"  said  he,  "and 
laying  the  foundations  of  my  first  city."  Upon 
that,  the  Man  retired  to  a  little  distance  and 
hid  himself.  The  Lark,  believing  his  assertion, 
soon  flew  down  to  the  place,  and.  swallowing 
the  bait,  found  himself  entangled  in  the  noose  ; 
whereupon  the  Birdcatcher,  straightway  corning 
up  to  him,  made  him  his  prisoner.  "A  pretty 
fellow  are  you  !  "  said  the  Lark  ;  "if  these  are 
the  colonies  you  found,  you  will  not  find  many 
emigrants." 


tlbe  .flMscbtevous  H>O(}  113 


LXXXVIII. 
THE  MISCHIEVOUS  DOG. 

There  was  a  Dog  so  wild  and  mischievous 
that  his  master  was  obliged  to  fasten  a  heavy 
clog  around  his  neck,  to  prevent  him  biting  and 
worrying  his  neighbors.  The  Dog,  priding 
himself  upon  his  badge,  paraded  in  the  market- 
place, shaking  his  clog  to  attract  attention. 
But  a  sly  friend  whispered  to  him  :  "  The  less 
noise  you  make,  the  better ;  your  mark  of  dis- 


ii4   ftbe  ^Travellers  anb  tbe  flMane=£ree 

tinction  is  no  reward  of  merit,  but  a  badge  of 
disgrace ! " 

Men  often  mistake  notoriety  for  fame,  and 
would  rather  be  remarked  for  their  vices  or  fol- 
lies than  not  be  noticed  at  all. 


FABLE   LXXXIX. 

THE    TRAVELLERS    AND    THE    PLANE- 
TREE. 

Some  Travellers,  on  a  hot  day  in  summer,  op- 
pressed with  the  noontide  sun,  perceiving  a 
Plane-Tree  near  at  hand,  made  straight  for  it, 
and  throwing  themselves  on  the  ground,  rested 
under  its  shade.  Looking  up,  as  they  lay, 
towards  the  Tree,  they  said  one  to  another : 
"What  a  useless  Tree  to  a  man  is  this  barren. 
Plane  ! "  But  the  Plane-Tree  answered  them  : 
"  Ungrateful  creatures !  at  the  very  moment 
that  you  are  enjoying  benefit  from  me  you  rail 
at  me  as  being  good  for  nothing." 

Ingratitude  is  as  blind  as  it  is  base. 


tberDsman  anD  tbe  Xost  J3uII 


XC. 

THE  HERDSMAN  AND  THE  LOST  BULL. 

A  Herdsman,  who  had  lost  a  Bull,  went  roam- 
ing through  the  forest  in  search  of  it.  Being 
unable  to  find  it,  he  began  to  vow  to  all  the 
Nymphs  of  the  forest  and  the  mountain,  to 
Mercury  and  to  Pan,  that  he  would  offer  up  a 


ii6  Cbe  IDipcr  an£>  tbe  tfilc 

lamb  to  them  if  he  could  only  discover  the 
thief.  At  that  moment,  gaining  a  high  ridge  of 
ground,  he  sees  a  Lion  standing  over  the  car- 
case of  his  beautiful  Bull.  And  now  tbe  un 
happy  man  vows  the  Bull  into  the  barg  in,  if 
he  may  only  escape  from  the  thief's  clutc  aes. 

Were  our  ill-judged  prayers  to  be  ilways 
granted,  how  many  would  be  ruined  a  i  their 

own  request ! 
I 

FABI.E  XCI. 

THE  VIPER  AND  THE  FILE. 

A  Viper  entering  into  a  smith's  shop  began 
looking  about  for  something  to  eat.  At  length, 
seeing  a  File,  he  went  up  to  it  and  com- 
menced biting  at  it ;  but  the  File  bade  him 
leave  him  alone,  saying  :  "You  are  likely  to 
get  little  from  me,  whose  business  it  is  to  bite 
others. " 


tlbe  <S»afc  an&  tbe  IRecfc 


PABI.E  XCII. 

THE  OAK  AND  THE  REED. 
An  Oak  that  had  been  rooted  up  by  the  winds 
was  borne  down  the  stream  of  a  river,  on  the 
banks  of  which  many  Reeds  were  growing. 
The  Oak  wondered  to  see  that  things  so  slight 
and  frail  had  stood  the  storm,  when  so  great 
and  strong  a  tree  as  himself  had  been  rooted 
up.  "  Cease  to  wonder,"  said  the  Reed,  "you 
were  overthrown  by  fighting  against  the  storm, 
while  we  are  saved  by  yielding  and  bending  to 
the  slightest  breath  that  blows." 


us  Judgment  of  flfcomus 

FABLE  XCIII. 

JUPITER,     NEPTUNE,      MINERVA,     ANE 
MOMUS. 

Jupiter,  Neptuue,  and  Minerva  (as  the  story 
goes)  once  contended  which  of  them  should 
make  the  most  perfect  thing.  Jupiter  made  a 
Man  ;  Pallas  made  a  House  ;  and  Neptune  made 
a  Bull ;  and  Momus — for  he  had  not  yet  been 
turned  out  of  Olympus — was  chosen  judge  to 
decide  which  production  had  the  greatest  merit. 
He  began  by  finding  fault  with  the  Bull,  be- 
cause his  horns  were  not  below  his  eyes,  so  that 
he  might  see  when  he  butted  with  them.  Next 
he  found  fault  with  the  Man,  because  there  was 
no  window  in  his  breast,  that  all  might  see  his 
inward  thoughts  and  feelings.  And  lastly  he 
found  fault  with  the  House,  because  it  had  no 
wheels  to  enable  its  inhabitants  to  remove  from 
bad  neighbors.  But  Jupiter  forthwith  drove  the 
critic  out  of  heaven,  telling  him  that  a  fault- 
finder could  never  be  pleased,  and  that  it  was 
time  to  criticise  the  works  of  others  when  ht 
had  done  some  good  thing  himself. 


dbercurg  an&  tbc 


FABI.E  xciv. 
MERCURY  AND  THE  WOODMAN. 


A  Woodman  was  felling 
a  tree  on  the  bank  of  a 
river,  and  by  chance  let 
slip  his  axe  into  the  water, 
when  it  immediately  sunk 
to  the  bottom.  Being  there- 
upon in  great  distress,  he 


iso      dfcercurg  an<5  tbe  TJQoo&man 

sat  down  by  the  side  of  the  stream  and  lamented 
his  loss  bitterly.  But  Mercury,  whose  river  it 
was,  taking  compassion  on  him,  appeared  at 
the  instant  before  him  ;  and  hearing  from  him 
the  cause  of  his  sorrow,  dived  to  the  bottom  of 
the  river,  and  bringing  up  a  golden  axe,  asked 
the  Woodman  if  that  were  his.  Upon  the  Man's 
denying  it,  Mercury  dived  a  second  time,  and 
brought  up  one  of  silver.  Again  the  Man  de- 
nied that  it  was  his.  So  diving  a  third  time,  he 
produced  the  identical  axe  which  the  Man  had 
lost.  "That  is  mine!"  said  the  Woodman,  de- 
lighted to  have  recovered  his  own ;  and  so 
pleased  was  Mercury  with  the  fellow's  truth 
and  honesty,  that  he  at  once  made  him  a  pres- 
ent of  the  other  two. 

The  Man  goes  to  his  companions,  and  giving 
them  an  account  of  what  had  happened  to  him, 
one  of  them  determined  to  try  whether  he 
might  not  have  the  like  good  fortune.  So  re- 
pairing to  the  same  place,  as  if  for  the  purpose 
of  cutting  wood,  he  let  slip  his  axe  on  purpose 
into  the  river,  and  then  sat  down  on  the  bank 
and  made  a  great  show  of  weeping.  Mercury 


Geese  an&  tbe  Cranes    121 

appeared  as  before,  and  hearing  from  him  that 
his  tears  were  caused  by  the  loss  of  his  axe, 
dived  once  more  into  the  stream  ;  and  bringing 
up  a  golden  axe,  asked  him  if  that  was  the  axe 
he  had  lost.  "Aye,  surely,"  said  the  Man, 
eagerly  ;  and  he  was  about  to  grasp  the  treasure, 
when  Mercury,  to  punish  his  impudence  and 
lying,  not  only  refused  to  give  him  that,  but 
would  not  so  much  as  restore  him  his  own  axe 
again. 

Honesty  is  the  best  policy. 

FABI.E;  xcv. 
THE  GEESE  AND  THE  CRANES. 

Some  Geese  and  some  Cranes  fed  together  in 
the  same  field.  One  day  the  sportsmen  came 
suddenly  down  upon  them.  The  Cranes  being 
light  of  body,  flew  off  in  a  moment  and  escaped  ; 
but  the  Geese,  weighed  down  by  their  fat,  were 
all  taken. 

In  civil  commotions,  they  fare  best  who  have 
least  to  fetter  them. 


122  Jupiter  anD  tbe  JBee 

FABLE   XCVI. 

JUPITER  AND  THE  BEE. 

In  days  of  yore,  when  the  world  was  young, 
a  Bee  that  had  stored  her  combs  with  a  bounti- 
ful harvest,  flew  up  to  heaven  to  present  as  a 
sacrifice  an  offering  of  honey.  Jupiter  was  so 
delighted  with  the  gift,  that  he  promised  to 
give  her  whatsoever  she  should  ask  for.  She 
therefore  besought  him,  saying:  "  O  glorious 
Jove,  maker  and  master  of  me,  poor  Bee,  give 
thy  servant  a  sting,  that  when  any  one  ap- 
proaches my  hive  to  take  the  honey,  I  may  kill 
him  on  the  spot."  Jupiter,  out  of  love  to  man, 
was  angry  at  her  request,  and  thus  answered 
her  •  "  Your  prayer  shall  not  be  granted  in  the 
way  you  wish,  but  the  sting  which  you  ask  for 
you  shall  have  ;  and  when  any  one  comes  to 
take  away  your  honey  and  you  attack  nim,  the 
wound  shall  be  fatal  not  to  him  but  to  you,  for 
your  life  shall  go  with  your  sting." 

He  that  prays  harm  for  his  neighbor,  begs  a 
curse  upon  himself. 


FABLE  XCVII. 

THE  LION  AND   OTHER  BEASTS  HUNT- 
ING. 

The  Lion  and  Other  Beasts  formed  an  alliance 
to  go  out  a-hunting.  When  they  had  taken  a 
fat  Stag,  the  Lion  proposed  himself  as  commis- 
sioner, and  dividing  it  into  three  parts,  thus  pro- 
ceeded :  "  The  first,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  take  offi- 
cially, as  king  ;  the  second  I  shall  take  for  my 
own  personal  share  in  the  chase  ;  and  as  for  the 
third  part, — let  him  take  it  who  dares." 


124      £be  (Boatberfc  ani>tbe  ©oats 

FABLE  XCVIII. 

THE  GOATHERD  AND  THE  GOATS. 

It  was  a  stormy  day,  and  the  snow  was  falling 
fast,  when  a  Goatherd  drove  his  Goats,  all 
white  with  snow,  into  a  desert  cave  for  shelter. 
There  he  found  that  a  herd  of  Wild  Goats,  more 
numerous  and  larger  than  his  own,  had  already 
taken  possession.  So,  thinking  to  secure  them 
all,  he  left  his  own  Goats  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves, and  threw  the  branches  which  he  had 
brought  for  them  to  the  Wild  Goats  to  browse  on. 
But  when  the  weather  cleared  up,  he  found  his 
own  Goats  had  perished  from  hunger,  while 
the  Wild  Goats  were  off  and  away  to  the  hills 
and  woods.  So  the  Goatherd  returned  a  laugh- 
ing-stock to  his  neighbors,  having  failed  to  gain 
the  Wild  Goats,  and  having  lost  his  own. 

They  who  neglect  their  old  friends  for  the 
sake  of  new,  are  rightly  served  if  they  lose 
both. 


Cbe  Countrg 


125 


V 


THE   COUNTRY   MAID   AND   HER   MILK- 
CAN. 

A  Country  Maid  was 
walking  along  with  a 
Can  of  Milk  upon  her 
head,  when  she  fell  into 
the  following  train 
of  reflections  :  "  The 
money  for  which  I  shall 
sell  this  Milk  will  en- 
able me  to  increase  my 
stock  of  eggs  to  three 
hundred.  These  eggs, 
allowing  for  what  may 
prove  addle  and  what 
may  be  destroyed  by 
vermin,  will  produce, 
at  least  two  hundred 
and  fifty  chickens.  The 
chickens  will  be  fit  to 

carry  to  market  just  at  the  time  when  poultry 
is  always  dear  ;  so  that  by  the  new-year  I  cannot 


126 


tTbc  Country 


fail  of  having  money  enough  to  purchase  a  new 
gown.  Green — let  me  consider — yes,  green  be- 
comes my  complexion  best,  and  green  it  shall  be. 
In  this  dress  I  will  go  to  the  fair,  where  all  the 
young  fellows  will  strive  to  have  me  for  a  part- 
ner ;  but  no,  I  shall  refuse  every  one  of  them, 
and  with  a  disdainful  toss  turn  from  them." 
Transported  with  this  idea,  she  could  not  forbear 
acting  with  her  head  the  thought 
that  thus  passed  in  her  mind ; 
when,  down  came  the  Can  of 
Milk!  and  all  her  imaginary 
happiness  vanished  in  a  moment. 


JBeeves  anD  tbe  JSutcbers     127 


FABLE   C. 

THE  BEEVES  AND  THE  BUTCHERS. 

The  Beeves,  once  on  a  time,  determined  to 
make  an  end  of  the  Butchers,  whose  whole  art, 
they  said  was  conceived  for  their  destruction. 
So  they  assembled  together,  and  had  already 
whetted  their  horns  for  the  contest,  when  a 
very  old  Ox,  who  had  Ion;;  worked  at  the 
plough,  thus  addressed  them  :  "  Have  a  care, 
my  friends,  what  you  do.  These  men  at  least 
kill  us  with  decency  and  skill,  but  if  we  fall 
into  the  hands  of  Botchers  instead  of  Butchers, 
we  shall  suffer  a  double  death  ;  for  be  well  as- 
sured, men  will  not  go  without  beef,  even 
though  they  were  without  Butchers." 

Better  to  bear  the  ills  we  have,  than  fly  to 
others  that  we  know  not  of. 


128 


Gbe  Cbief  an&  bis  /Ifcotber 


FABI/R  CI. 

THE  THIEF  AND  HIS  MOTHER. 

A  Schoolboy  stole  a  horn-book  from  one  of 
his  schoolfellows,  and  brought  it  home  to  his 
Mother.  Instead  of  chastising  him,  she  rather 
encouraged  him  in  the  deed.  In  course  of  time 


tlbe  Sbief  and  bis  /iBotbcr        120 

the  Boy,  now  grown  into  a  man,  began  to  steal 
things  of  greater  value,  till  at  length,  being 
caught  in  the  very  act,  he  was  bound  and  led 
to  execution.  Perceiving  his  Mother  following 
among  the  crowd,  wailing  and  beating  her 
breast,  he  begged  the  officers  to  be  allowed,  to 
speak  one  word  in  her  ear.  When  she  quickly 
drew  near  and  applied  her  ear  to  her  son's 
mouth,  he  seized  the  lobe  of  it  tightly  between 
his  teeth  and  bit  it  off.  Upon  this  she  cried  out 
lustily,  and  the  crowd  joined  her  in  upbraiding 
the  unnatural  son,  as  if  his  former  evil  ways 
had  not  been  enough,  but  that  his  last  act  must 
be  a  deed  of  impiety  against  his  Mother.  But 
he  replied  :  "  It  is  she  who  is  the  cause  of  my 
ruin  ;  for  if  when  I  stole  my  schoolfellow's 
horn-book  and  brought  it  to  her,  she  had  given 
me  a  sound  flogging,  I  should  never  have  so 
grown  in  wickedness  as  to  come  to  this  un- 
timely end." 

Nip  evil  in  the  bud.     Spare  the  rod  and  spoil 
the  child. 


130 


Cat  anD  tbc  dfcice 


FABLE  CII. 
THE  CAT  AND  THE  MICE. 

A  Cat,  grown  feeble  with  age,  and  no  longei 
able  to  hunt  the  Mice  as  she  was  wont  to  do, 
bethought  h  e  r  s  e  1 1 
how  she  might  en- 
tice them  within 
reach  of  her  paw. 
Thinking  that  she 
might  pass  herself 
off  for  a  bag,  or  for 
a  dead  cat  at  least, 
she  suspended  her- 
self by  the  hind  legs 
from  a  peg,  in  the 
hope  that  the  Mice 
would  no  longer  be 
afraid  to  come  near 
her.  An  old  Mouse, 
who  was  wise  enough 
to  keep  his  distance, 
whispered  to  a  friend:  "Many  a  "bag  have  I 
seen  in  my  day,  but  never  one  with  a  cat's 


ttbc  Marriage  of  tbe  Sun         131 

head."  "Hang  there,  good  Madam,"  said  the 
other,  "  as  long  as  you  please,  but  I  would  not 
trust  myself  within  reach  of  ypu  though  you 
were  stuffed  with  straw." 

Old  birds  are  not  to  be  caught  with  chaff. 

FABI«E   cm. 
THE  MARRIAGE  OP  THE  SUN. 

Once  upon  a  time,  in  a  very  warm  summer, 
il  was  currently  reported  that  the  Sun  was  going 
to  be  married.  All  the  birds  and  the  beasts 
were  delighted  at  the  thought ;  and  the  Frogs, 
above  all  others,  were  determined  to  have  a 
good  holiday.  But  an  old  Toad  put  a  stop  to 
their  festivities  by  observing  that  it  was  an  oc- 
casion for  sorrow  rather  than  for  joy.  "For 
if,"  said  he,  "the  Sun  of  himself  now  parches 
tip  the  marshes  so  that  we  can  hardly  bear  it, 
what  will  become  of  us  if  he  should  have  half  a 
dozen  little  Suns  in  addition?  " 


132        Gbe  fiagle  anfc  tbe  Brrow 


crv. 
THE  GNAT  AND  THE  BULL. 

A  Gnat  that  had  been  buzzing  about  the  head 
of  a  Bull,  at  length  settling  himself  down  upon 
his  horn,  begged  his  pardon  for  incommoding 
him  ;  "  but  if,"  says  he,  "  my  weight  at  all  in- 
conveniences you,  pray  say  so,  and  I  will  be 
off  in  a  moment."  "Oh,  never  trouble  your 
head  about  that,"  says  the  Bull,  "  for  't  is  all 
one  to  me  whether  you  go  or  stay  ;  and,  to  say 
the  truth,  I  did  not  know  you  were  there." 

The  smaller  the  mind  the  greater  the  conceit. 


CV. 
THE  EAGLE  AND  THE  ARROW. 

A  Bowman  took  aim  at  an  Eagle  and  hit  him 
in  the  heart.  As  the  Eagle  turned  his  head  in 
the  agonies  of  death,  he  saw  that  the  Arrow  was 
winged  with  his  own  feathers.  "  How  much 
sharper,"  said  he,  "  are  the  wounds  made  by 
weapons  which  we  ourselves  have  supplied  !  " 


Bog  in  tbe  flbanger          133 


CVT. 

THE  DOG  IN  THE  MANGER. 

A  Dog  made  Ms  bed  in  a  Manger,  and  lay 
snarling  and  growling  to  keep  the  horses  from 
their  provender.  ' '  See, ' '  said  one  of  them, 
' '  what  a  miserable  cur  !  who  neither  can  eat 
corn  himself,  nor  will  allow  those  to  eat  it  who 
can." 


134  tTbe  tfoice  in  Council 

FABLE  cvrr. 
THE  MICE  IN  COUNCIL. 

Once  upon  a  time  the  Mice  being  sadly  dis- 
tressed by  the  persecution  of  the  Cat,  resolved 
to  call  a  meeting,  to  decide  upon  the  best  means 
of  getting  rid  of  this  continual  annoyance. 
Many  plans  were  discussed  and  rejected  ;  at 
last  a  young  Mouse  got  up  and  proposed  that  a 
Bell  should  be  hung  round  the  Cat's  neck,  that 
they  might  for  the  future  always  have  notice  of 
her  coming,  and  so  be  able  to  escape.  This 
proposition  was  hailed  with  the  greatest  ap- 
plause, and  was  agreed  to  at  once  unanimously. 
Upon  which  an  old  Mouse,  who  had  sat  silent 
all  the  while,  got  up  and  said  that  he  considered 
the  contrivance  most  ingenious,  and  that  it 
would,  no  doubt,  be  quite  successful ;  but  he 
had  only  one  short  question  to  put,  namely, 
which  of  them  it  was  who  would  Bell  the  Cat  ? 

It  is  one  thing  to  propose,  another  to  execute. 


ILion,  tbe  JBear,  anD  tbc  jfoj  135 


cvrri. 

THE  LION,  THE  BEAR,  AND  THE  FOX. 
A  Lion  and  a  Bear  found  the  carcase  of  a 
Fawn,  and  had  a  long  fight  for  it.  The  contest 
was  so  hard  and  even,  that,  at  last,  both  of 
them,  half-blinded  and  half-dead,  lay  panting 
on  the  ground,  without  strength  to  touch  the 
prize  that  was  stretched  between  them.  A  Fox 
coming  by  at  the  time,  and  seeing  their  helpless 
condition,  stepped  in  between  the  combatants 
and  carried  off  the  booty.  "Poor  creatures 
that  we  are,"  cried  they,  "who  have  been  ex- 


136       £be  ffor  an£)  tbe 


hausting  all  our  strength   and  injuring  one  an- 
other, merely  to  give  a  rogue  a  dinner  !  " 


cix. 

THE  FOX  AND  THE  HEDGEHOG. 
A  Fox,  while  crossing  over  a  river,  was  driven 
by  the  stream  into  a  narrow  gorge,  and  lay 
there  for  a  long  time  unable  to  get  out,  covered 
with  myriads  of  horse-flies  that  had  fastened 
themselves  upon  him.  A  Hedgehog,  who  was 
wandering  in  that  direction,  saw  him,  and,  tak- 
ing compassion  on  him,  asked  him  if  he  should 
drive  away  the  flies  that  were  so  tormenting 
him.  But  the  Fox  begged  him  to  do  nothing  of 
the  sort.  "  Why  not  ?  "  asked  the  Hedgehog. 
"Because,"  replied  the  Fox,  "these  flies  that 
are  upon  me  now,  are  already  full,  and  draw  but 
little  blood,  but  should  you  remove  them,  a 
swarm  of  fresh  and  hungry  ones  will  come, 
who  will  not  leave  a  drop  of  blood  in  my  body." 

When  we  throw  off  rulers  or  dependants, 
who  have  already  made  the  most  of  us,  we  do 
but,  for  the  most  part,  lay  ourselves  open  to 
others  who  will  make  us  bleed  yet  more  freely. 


Sbe  (Boose  witb  tbe  (Boloen  JEgcjs   137 


FABLE  CX. 

THE  GOOSE  WITH  THE  GOLDEN  EGGS. 
A  certain  man  had  the  good  fortune  to  pos- 
sess a  Goose  that  laid  him  a  Golden  Egg  every 
day.  But  dissatisfied  with  so  slow  an  income, 
and  thinking  to  seize  the  whole  treasure  at 
once,  he  killed  the  Goose  ;  and  cutting  her 
open,  found  her — just  what  any  other  goose 
would  be ! 

Much  wants  more  and  loses  all. 


FABI,E  CXI. 
THB  LION  AND  THE  DOLPHIN. 

A  Lion  was  roaming  on  the  sea-shore  when, 
seeing  a  Dolphin  basking  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  he  invited  him  to  form  an  alliance  with 
him,  "for,"  said  he,  "as  I  am  the  king  of 
beasts,  and  you  are  the  king  of  the  fishes,  we 
ought  to  be  the  greatest  friends  and  allies  pos- 
sible." The  Dolphin  gladly  assented  ;  and  the 
Lion,  not  long  after,  having  a  fight  with  a  wild 
bull,  called  upon  the  Dolphin  for  his  promised 
support.  But  when  he,  though  ready  to  assist 
him,  found  himself  unable  to  come  out  of  the 
sea  for  the  purpose,  the  Lion  accused  him  of 
having  betrayed  him.  "Do  not  blame  me," 
said  the  Dolphin  in  reply,  "but  blame  my  na- 
ture which,  however  powerful  at  sea,  is  alto- 
gether helpless  on  land." 

In  choosing  allies  we  must  look  to  their 
power  as  well  as  their  will  to  aid  us. 


Cbe  (Trumpeter  taken  prisoner     139 


FABI.E;  cxn. 
THE  TRUMPETER  TAKEN  PRISONER. 

A  Trumpeter  being  taken  prisoner  in  a  battle, 
begged  hard  for  quarter.  ' '  Spare  me,  good  sirs, 
llbeseech  you,"  said  he,  "and  put  me  not  to 
death  without  cause,  for  I  have  killed  no  one 
myself,  nor  have  I  any  arms  but  this  trumpet 
only."  "For  that  very  reason,"  said  they  who 
had  seized  him,  ' '  shall  you  the  sooner  die,  for 
without  the  spirit  to  fight  yourself,  you  stir  up 
others  to  warfare  and  bloodshed," 


140  ftbe  /Ifoountebanfc  an£>  tbc  Countryman 

He  who  incites  to  strife  is  worse  than  he  who 
takes  part  in  it. 


FABI,E    CXIII. 

THE  MOUNTEBANK  AND  THE  COUNTRY- 
MAN. 

A  certain  wealthy  patrician,  intending  to  treat 
the  Roman  people  with  some  theatrical  enter- 
tainment, publicly  offered  a  reward  to  any  one 
who  would  produce  a  novel  spectacle.  Incited 
by  emulation,  artists  arrived  from  all  parts  to 
contest  the  prize,  among  whom  a  well-known 
witty  Mountebank  gave  out  that  he  had  a  new 
kind  of  entertainment  that  had  never  yet  been 
produced  on  any  stage.  This  report  being 
spread  abroad,  brought  the  whole  city  together. 
The  theatre  could  hardly  contain  the  numtJfer 
of  spectators.  And  when  the  artist  appeared 
alone  upon  the  stage,  without  any  apparatus  or 
any  assistants,  curiosity  and  suspense  kept  the 
spectators  in  profound  silence.  On  a  sudden 
he  thrust  down  his  head  into  his  bosom,  and 
mimicked  the  squeaking  of  a  young  pig  so  nat- 


dfcountebanfc  anD  tbe  Countryman 


urally  that  the  audience  insisted  upon  it  that  he 
had  one  under  his  cloak,  and  ordered  him  to  be 
searched,  which,  being  done  and  nothing  ap- 
pearing, they  loaded  him  with  the  most  extrav- 
agant applause. 

A  Countryman  among  the  audience  observ- 
ing what  passed  —  "  Oh  !  "  says  he,  "I  can  do 
better  than  this"  ;  and  immediately  gave  out 
that  he  would  perform  the  next  day.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  morrow,  a  yet  greater  crowd  was 
collected.  Prepossessed,  however,  in  favor  of  the 
Mountebank,  they  came  rather  to  laugh  at  the 
Countryman  than  to  pass  a  fair  judgment  on 
him.  They  both  came  out  upon  the  stage. 
The  Mountebank  grunts  away  at  first,  and  calls 
forth  the  greatest  clapping  and  applause.  Then 
the  Countryman,  pretending  that  he  concealed 
a  little  pig  under  his  garments  (and  he  had, 
in  fact,  really  got  one)  pinched  its  ear  till  he 
made  it  squeak.  The  people  cried  out  that  the 
Mountebank  had  imitated  the  pig  much  more 
naturally,  and  hooted  to  the  Countryman  to 
quit  the  stage  ;  but  he,  to  convict  them  to  their 
face,  produced  the  real  pig  from  his  bosom. 


142    Gbe  Ibunter  and  tbe  ffisberman 

"And  now,  gentlemen,  you  may  see,"  said  he, 
"what  a  pretty  sort  of  judges  you  are  !  " 

I 

It  is  easier  to  convince  a  man  against   his 

senses  than  against  his  will. 


FABLE  CXIV. 

THE    HUNTER   AND    THE    FISHERMAN. 

A  Hunter  was  returning  from  the  mountains 
loaded  with  game,  and  a  Fisherman  was  at  the 
same  time  coming  home  with  his  creel  full  of 
fish,  when  they  chanced  to  meet  by  the  way. 
The  Hunter  took  a  fancy  to  a  dish  of  fish  :  the 
Fisher  preferred  a  supper  of  game.  So  each 
gave  to  the  other  the  contents  of  his  own  bas- 
ket. And  thus  they  continued  daily  to  ex- 
change provisions,  till  one  who  had  observed 
them  said:  "Now,  by  this  invariable  inter- 
change, will  they  destroy  the  zest  of  their  meal  ; 
and  each  will  soon  wish  to  return  to  his  own 
store  again." 


Gbe  S>oa  invited  to  Supper 

FABLE  CXV. 

THE  DQG  INVITED   TO   SUPPER. 


143 


A   Gentleman,  having   pre- 
Sw     pared  a  great  feast,  invited  a 
r: ;;  Friend    to    supper ;    and    the 

i.  Gentleman's  Dog,  meeting  the 
Friend's  Dog,  "Come,"  said  he,  "my  good 
fellow,  and  sup  with  us  to-night."  The  Dog 
\vas  delighted  with  the  invitation,  and  as  he 


M4        £be  S>og  invited  to  Supper 

stood  by  and  saw  the  preparations  for  the  feast, 
said  to  himself,  "  Capital  fare  indeed  !  this  is, 
in  truth,  good  luck.  I  shall  revel  in  dainties, 
and  I  will  take  good  care  to  lay  in  an  ample 
stock  to-night,  for  I  may  have  nothing  to  eat 
to-morrow."  As  he  said  this  to  himself,  he 
wagged  his  tail,  and  gave  a  sly  look  at  his 
friend  who  had  invited  him.  But  his  tail 
wagging  to  and  fro  caught  the  cook's  eye,  who 
seeing  a  stranger,  straightway  seized  him  by 
the  legs,  and  threw  him  out  of  the  window. 
When  he  reached  the  ground,  he  set  off  yelping 
down  the  street ;  upon  which  the  neighbors' 
Dogs  ran  up  to  him,  and  asked  him  how  he 
liked  his  supper.  "I"  faith,"  said  he,  with  a 
sorry  smile,  "  I  hardly  know,  for  we  drank  so 
deep  that  I  can't  even  tell  you  which  way  I  got 
out  of  the  house." 

They  who  enter  by  the  back  stairs  may  ex- 
pect to  be  shown  out  at  the  window. 


Cbe  tfcosa  asking  for  a  1kin0      145 


Y 


FABLE  CXVI. 


THE  FROGS  ASKING  FOR  A  KING.  N 

'j 
In  the  days  of  old,  when   the   Frogs 

were  all  at  liberty  in  the  lakes,  and  had 
grown  weary  of  following 
svery  one  his  own  devices, 


they  assembled  one  day  together,  and  with  no 
little  clamor  petitioned  Jupiter  to  let  them  have 
a  King  to  keep  them  in  better  order,  and  make 
them  lead  honester  lives.  Jupiter,  knowing  the 
vanity  of  their  hearts,  smiled  at  their  request 
and  threw  down  a  L,og  into  the  lake,  which  by 
the  splash  and  commotion  it  made,  set  the 
whole  commonwealth  into  the  greatest  terror 
and  amazement.  They  rushed  under  the  water 
and  into  the  mud,  and  dared  not  come  within 
ten  leaps1  length  of  the  spot  where  it  lay.  At 
length  one  Frog  bolder  than  the  rest  ventured 
to  pop  his  head  above  the  water,  and  take  a 
survey  of  their  new  King  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance. Presently,  when  they  perceived  the 
Log  lie  stock-still,  others  began  to  swim  up  to 
it  and  around  it,  till  by  degrees,  growing  bolder 
and  bolder,  they  at  last  leaped  upon  it,  and 
treated  it  with  the  greatest  contempt.  Dissat- 
isfied with  so  tame  a  ruler,  they  forthwith  pe- 
titioned Jupiter  a  second  time  for  another  and 
more  active  King  ;  upon  which  he  sent  them  a 
Stork,  who  no  sooner  arrived  among  them  than 
he  began  laying  hold  of  them  and  devouring 


them  one  by  one  as  fast  as  lie  could,  and  it  was 
in  vain  that  they  endeavored  to  escape  him. 
Then  they  sent  Mercury  with  a  private  message 
to  Jupiter,  beseeching  him  that  he  would  take 
pity  on  them  once  more ;  but  Jupiter  replied, 
that  they  were  only  suffering  the  punishment 
due  to  their  folly,  and  that  another  time  they 
would  learn  to  let  well  alone,  and  not  be  dis- 
satisfied with  their  natural  condition. 


cxvu. 
THE  FIR-TREE  AND  THE  BRAMBLE. 

A  Fir-tree  was  one  day  boasting  itself  to  a 
Bramble.  ' '  You  are  of  no  use  at  all ;  but  how 
could  barns  and  houses  be  built  without  me  ?  " 
'•'Good  sir,"  said  the  Bramble,  "when  the 
woodmen  come  here  with  their  axes  and  saws, 
what  would  you  give  to  be  a  Bramble,  and  not 
a  Fir?" 

A  humble  lot  in  security  is  better  than  the 
dangers  that  encompass  the  high  and  haughty. 


us     Cbe  Xarfc  an£>  ber  Doling  ©nes 


FABLE    CXVIII. 
THE  LARK  AND  HER  YOUNG  ONES. 

There  was  a  brood  of  Young  Larks  in  a  field 
of  corn  which  was  just  ripe,  and  the  mother, 
looking  every  day  for  the  reapers,  left  word 
whenever  she  went  out  in  search  of  food  that 
her  Young  Ones  should  report  to  her  all  the 
news  they  heard.  One  day,  while  she  was  ab- 
sent, the  master  came  to  look  at  the  state  of  the 
crop.  "  It  is  full  time,"  said  he,  "  to  call  iu  all 


Gbe  Xarfc  an£>  ber.  HJoung  Ones    149 

my  neighbors  and  get  my  corn  reaped."  When 
the  Old  Lark  came  home  the  Young  Ones  told 
their  mother  what  they  had  heard,  and  begged 
her  to  remove  them  forthwith.  "  Time 
enough,"  said  she  ;  "  if  he  trusts  to  his  neigh- 
bors, he  will  have  to  wait  awhile  yet  for  his 
harvest."  Next  day,  however,  the  owner  came 
again,  and  finding  the  sun  still  hotter  and  the 
corn  more  ripe,  and  nothing  done,  "  There  is 
not  a  moment  to  be  lost,"  said  he  ;  "  we  cannot 
depend  upon  our  neighbors ;  we  must  call  in 
our  relations"  ;  and  turning  to  his  son,  "Go, 
call  your  uncles  and  cousins,  and  see  that  they 
begin  to-morrow."  In  still  greater  fear,  the 
Young  Ones  repeated  to  their  mother  the  farm- 
er's words.  "If  that  be  all,"  says  she,  "do 
not  be  frightened,  for  the  relations  have  got 
harvest  work  of  their  own  ;  but  take  particular 
notice  what  you  hear  the  next  time,  and  be 
sure  you  let  me  know."  She  went  abroad  the 
next  day,  and  the  owner  coming  as  before,  and 
finding  the  grain  falling  to  the  ground  from 
overripeness,  and  still  no  one  at  work,  called 
to  his  son.  "  We  must  wait  for  our  neighbors 


tfisberman 


and  friends  no  longer;  do  you  go  and  hire 
some  reapers  to-night,  and  we  will  set  to  work 
ourselves  to-morrow."  When  the  Young  Ones 
told  their  mother  this,  "  Then,"  said  she,  "it  is 
time  to  be  off,  indeed  ;  for  when  a  man  takes 
up  his  business  himself,  instead  of  leaving  it  to 
others,  you  may  be  sure  that  he  means  to  set 
to  work  in  earnest." 


CXIX. 
THE  FISHERMAN. 

A  Fisherman  went  to  a  river  to  fish  ;  and 
when  he  had  laid  his  nets  across  the  stream,  he 
tied  a  stone  to  a  long  cord,  and  beat  the  water 
on  either  side  of  the  net,  to  drive  the  fish  into 
the  meshes.  One  of  the  neighbors  that  lived 
thereabout  seeing  him  thus  employed,  went  up 
to  him  and  blamed  him  exceedingly  for  disturb- 
ing the  water,  and  making  it  so  muddy  as  to  be 
unfit  to  drink.  "  I  am  sorry,"  said  the  Fisher- 
man, "  that  this  does  not  please  you,  but  it  is 
by  thus  troubling  the  waters  that  I  gain  my 
living." 


<£be  Gbief  anO  tbc  Dog 


THE  THIEF  AND 
THE  DOG. 

A  Thief  coming  to 
rob  a  house  would  have 
stopped  the  barking  of 
a  dog  by  throwing  sops 
to  him.  "Away  with  you  ! "  said  the  Dog ;  "  I 
had  my  suspicions  of  you  before,  but  this  excess 
of  civility  assures  me  that  you  are  a  rogue." 


A  bribe  in  hand  betrays  mischief  at  heart. 


Gbe  Sss  and  bis  /toasters. 


CXXI. 

THE  ASS  AND  HIS  MASTERS. 

An  Ass  that  belonged  to  a  Gardener,  and  had 
little  to  eat  and  much  to  do,  besought  Jupiter  to 
release  him  from-  the  Gardener's  service  and 
give  him  another  Master.  Jupiter,  angry  at  his 
discontent,  made  him  over  to  a  Potter.  He  had 
now  heavier  burdens  to  carry  than  before,  and 
again  appealed  to  Jupiter  to  relieve  him,  who 
accordingly  contrived  that  he  should  be  sold  to 
a  Tanner.  The  Ass  having  now  fallen  into 
worse  hands  than  ever,  and  daily  observing  how 
his  Master  was  employed,  exclaimed  with  a 
groan:  "Alas,  wretch  that  I  am!  it  had  been 
better  for  me  to  have  remained  content  with 
my  former  Masters,  for  now  I  see  that  my  pres- 
ent owner  not  only  works  me  harder  while  liv- 
ing, but  will  not  even  spare  my  hide  when  I  am 
dead  !  " 

He  that  is  discontented  in  one  place  will  sel- 
dom be  happy  in  another. 


©ID  /Ifcan  anO  Beatb 


153 


cxxii. 
THE  OLD  MAN  AND  DEATH. 

An  Old  Man  that  had  travelled  a  long  way 
with  a  huge  bundle  of  sticks,  found  himself  so 
weary  that  he  cast  it  down,  and  called  upon 
Death  to  deliver  him  from  his  most  miserable 
existence.  Death  came  straightway  at  his  call, 
and  asked  him  what  he  wanted.  "Pray,  good 
sir,"  says  he,  "  do  me  the  favor  to  help  me  up 
with  my  burden  again." 


154      Cbe  Doctor  anD  bis  patient. 

It  is  one  thing  to  call  for  Death,  and  anothev 
to  see  him  coming. 


CXXIII. 

THE  DOCTOR  AND  HIS  PATIENT. 

A  Doctor  had  been  for  some  time  attending 
upon  a  sick  Man,  who,  however,  died  under  his 
hands.  At  the  funeral  the  Doctor  went  about 
among  the  relations  saying  :  "  Our  poor  friend, 
if  he  had  only  refrained  from  wine,  and  attended 
to  his  inside,  and  used  proper  means,  would  not 
have  been  lying  there."  One  of  the  mourners 
answered  him :  "My  good  sir,  it  is  of  no  use 
your  saying  this  now  ;  you  ought  to  have  pre- 
scribed these  things  when  your  Patient  waa 
alive  to  take  them." 

The  best  advice  may  come  too  late. 


Cbe  JSir&s,  tbe  JSeasts,  ant)  tbe  3Bat     155 


THE    BIRDS,    THE    BEASTS,     ^ 
AND  THE  BAT. 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was 
a  fierce  war  waged  between  the 
Birds  and  the  Beasts.  For  a  long 
while  the  issue  of  the  battle  was 
uncertain,  and  the  Bat,  taking 


is6   Gbe  astrfcs,  tbe  leasts,  an&  tbe  3Bat 

advantage  of  his  ambiguous  nature,  kept  aloof 
and  remained  neutral.  At  length  when  the 
Beasts  seemed  to  prevail,  the  Bat  joined  their 
forces  and  appeared  active  in  the  fight ;  but  a 
rally  being  made  by  the  Birds,  which  proved 
successful,  he  was  found  at  the  end  of  the  day 
among  the  ranks  of  the  winning  party.  A 
peace  being  speedily  concluded,  the  Bat's  con- 
duct was  condemned  alike  by  both  parties,  and 
being  acknowledged  by  neither,  and  so  excluded 
from  the  terms  of  the  truce,  he  was  obliged  to 
skulk  off  as  best  he  could,  and  has  ever  since 
lived  in  holes  and  corners,  never  daring  to  show 
his  face  except  in  the  duskiness  of  twilight. 


pots 


157 


;  cxxv. 
THE  TWO  POTS. 

Two  Pots,  one  of  earthenware,  the  other  of 
brass,  were  carried  down  a  river  in  a  flood.  The 
Brazen  Pot  begged  his  companion  to  keep  by 
his  side,  and  he  would  protect  him.  "Thank 
you  for  your  offer,"  said  the  Barthen  Pot,  "but 
that  is  just  what  I  am  afraid  of ;  if  you  will  only 
keep  at  a  distance,  I  may  float  down  in  safety  ; 
but  should  we  come  in  contact,  I  am  sure  to  be 
the  sufferer." 


Avoid  too  powerful  neighbors;  for,  should 
there  be  a  collision,  the  weakest  goes  to  the 
wall. 


158          Cbe  Xion  anfc  tbe  (Boat 


CXXVI. 

THE  LION  AND  THE  GOAT. 

On  a  summer's  day,  when  every  thing  was 
suffering  from  extreme  heat,  a  Lion  and  a  Goat 
came  at  the  same  time  to  quench  their  thirst  at 
a  small  fountain.  They  at  once  fell  to  quarrel- 
ling which  should  first  drink  of  the  water,  till 
at  length  it  seemed,  that  each  was  determined 
to  resist  the  other  even  to  death.  But,  ceasing 
from  the  strife  for  a  moment,  to  recover  breath, 
they  saw  a  flock  of  vultures  hovering  over 
them,  only  waiting  to  pounce  upon  whichever 
of  them  should  fall.  Whereupon  they  instantly 
made  up  their  quarrel,  agreeing  that  it  was  far 
better  for  them  both  to  become  friends,  than  to 
furnish  food  for  the  crows  and  vultures. 


Brab  anC>  tbe  Camel 


159 


FABLE  CXXVII. 

THE  ARAB  AND  THE  CAMEL. 
An  Arab  having  loaded  his  Camel,  asked  him 
whether  he  preferred  to   go  up  hill  or  down 
hill.   l<  Pray,  Master,"  said  the  Camel,  dryly,  "  is 
the  straight  way  across  the  plain  shut  up?  " 


160      Cbe  Wolf  anD  tbe  SbepberD 

FABLE  CXXVIII. 

THE  WOLF  AND  THE  SHEPHERD. 

A  Wolf  had  long  hung  about  a  flock  of  sheep, 
and  had  done  them  no  harm.  The  Shepherd, 
however,  had  his  suspicions,  and  for  a  while 
was  always  on  the  lookout  against  him  as  an 
avowed  enemy.  But  when  the  Wolf  continued 
for  a  long  time  following  in  the  train  of  his 
flock  without  the  least  attempt  to  annoy  them, 
he  began  to  look  upon  him  more  as  a  friend 
than  a  foe  ;  and  having  one  day  occasion  to  go 
into  the  city,  he  entrusted  the  sheep  to  his 
care.  The  Wolf  no  sooner  saw  his  opportunity 
than  he  forthwith  fell  upon  the  sheep  and  wor- 
ried them  ;  and  the  Shepherd,  on  his  return, 
seeing  his  flock  destroyed,  exclaimed  :  "  Fool 
that  1  am  !  yet  I  deserved  no  less  for  trusting 
my  Sheep  with  a  Wolf!  " 

There  is  more  danger  from  a  pretended  friend 
than  from  an  open  enemy. 


cxxix.   . 
THE  TRAVELLERS  AND  THE  HATCHET. 

Two  Men  were  travelling  along  the  same 
road,  when  one  of  them,  picking  up  a  Hatchet, 
cries:  "See  what  I  have  found!"  "Do  not 
say  /,"  says  the  other,  "but  WE  have  found." 
After  a  while,  up  came  the  men  who  had  lost 
the  Hatchet,  and  charged  the  man  who  had  it 
with  the  theft.  "  Alas,"  says  he  to  his  compan- 
ion, "we  are  undone!"  "Do  not  say  WE," 
replies  the  other,  "but  /  am  undone;  for  he 


162   Cbe  ass,  tbc  ffoj,  an&  tbe  Xfon 

that  will  not  allow  his  friend  to  share  the  prize 
must  not  expect  him  to  share  the  danger." 


FABLE  cxxx. 
THE  ASS,  THE  FOX,  AND  THE  LION. 

An  Ass  and  a  Fox  having  made  a  compact  al- 
liance, went  out  into  the  fields  to  hunt.  They 
met  a  Lion  on  the  way.  The  Fox  seeing  the 
impending  danger,  made  up  to  the  Lion,  and 
whispered  that  he  would  betray  the  Ass  into  his 
power,  if  he  would  promise  to  bear  him  harm- 
less. The  Lion  having  agreed  to  do  so,  the 
Fox  contrived  to  lead  the  Ass  into  a  suare.  The 
Lion  no  sooner  saw  the  Ass  secured  tLtm  he 
fell  at  once  upon  the  Fox,  reserving  the  other 
for  his  next  meal. 


JBees,  tbe  Drones.  an£>  tbe  Idasp    163 


FABLE  CXXXI. 

THE  BEES,  THE  DRONES,  AND  THE 
WASP. 

Some  Bees  had  built  their  comb  in  the  hollow 
trunk  of  an  oak.  The  Drones  asserted  that  it 
was  their  doing,  and  belonged  to  them.  The 
cause  was  brought  into  court  before  Judge 
Wasp.  Knowing  something  of  the  parties,  he 
thus  addressed  them:  "The  plaintiffs  and  de- 
fendants are  so  much  alike  in  shape  and  color 
as  to  render  the  ownership  a  doubtful  matter, 
and  the  case  has  very  properly  been  brought 
before  me.  The  ends  of  justice,  and  the  object 
of  the  court,  will  best  be  furthered  by  the  plan 
which  I  propose.  Let  each  party  take  a  hive  to 
itself,  and  build  up  a  new  comb,  that  from  the 
shape  of  the  cells  and  the  taste  of  the  honey  the 
lawful  proprietors  of  the  property  in  dispute 
may  appear."  The  Bees  readily  assented  to  the 
Wasp's  plan.  The  Drones  declined  it.  Where- 
upon the  Wasp  gave  judgment  :  "It  is  clear 
now  who  made  the  comb,  and  who  cannot 
make  it  ;  the  Court  adjudges  the  honey  to  the 
Bees," 


164      Gbe  Xiou  an£>  Sss  f>untin0 


CXXXH. 

THE  LION  AND  ASS  HUNTING. 

A  Lion  and  an  Ass  made  an  agreement  to  go 
out  hunting  together.  By  and  bye  they  came 
to  a  cave,  where  many  wild  goats  abode.  The 
Lion  took  up  his  station  at  the  mouth  of  the 
'cave,  and  the  Ass,  going  within,  kicked  and 
brayed  and  made  a  mighty  fuss  to  frighten  them 
out.  When  the  Lion  had  caught  very  many  of 
them,  the  Ass  came  out  and  asked  him  if  he  had 
not  made  a  noble  fight,  and  routed  the  goats 
properly.  "  Yes,  indeed,  "  said  the  Lion  ;  "and 
I  assure  you  you  would  have  frightened  me  too, 
if  I  had  not  known  you  to  be  an  Ass." 

When  braggarts  are  admitted  into  the  com- 
pany of  their  betters,  it  is  only  to  be  made  use 
of  and  be  laughed  at, 


Bss  and  bis  Driver 


165 


cxxxui. 
THE  ASS  AND  HIS  DRIVER. 


An  Ass  that  was 
being  driven  along 
the  road  by  his  Mas- 
ter, started  on  ahead  and  leaving  the  beaten 
track,  made  as  fast  as  he  could  for  the 
edge  of  a  precipice.  When  he  was  just  on  the 
point  of  falling  over,  his  Master  ran  up,  and, 
seizing  him  by  the  tail,  endeavored  to  pull  him 
back  ;  but  the  Ass  resisting  and  pulling  the 
contrary  way,  the  man  let  go  hiS  hold,  saying : 
"Well,  Jack,  if  you  will  be  master,  I  cannot 
help  it.  A  wilful  beast  must  go  his  own  way." 


166       tlbe  tfoicc  an£>  tbe  IJGleasels 

FABLE   CXXXIV. 

THE  MICE  AND  THE  WEASELS. 

The  Mice  and  the  Weasels  had  long  been  at 
war  with  each  other,  and  the  Mice  being  always 
worsted  in  battle,  at  length  agreed  at  a  meeting, 
solemnly  called  for  the  occasion,  that  their  de- 
feat was  attributable  to  nothing  but  their  want 
of  discipline,  and  they  determined  accordingly 
to  elect  regular  Commanders  for  the  time  to 
come.  So  they  chose  those  whose  valor  and 
prowess  most  recommended  them  to  the  im- 
portant post.  The  new  Commanders,  proud  of 
their  position,  and  desirous  of  being  as  con- 
spicuous as  possible,  bound  horns  upon  their 
foreheads  as  a  sort  of  crest  and  mark  of  distinc- 
tion. Not  long  after  a  battle  ensued.  The 
Mice,  as  before,  were  soon  put  to  flight ;  the 
common  herd  escaped  into  their  holes  ;  but  the 
Commanders,  not  being  able  to  get  in  from  the 
length  of  their  horns,  were  every  one  caught 
and  devoured. 

There  is  no  distinction  without  its  accom- 
panying danger. 


<Ibe  1bart  an5  tbe  Dine 


i67 


cxxxv. 
THE  HART  AND  THE  VINE. 

A  Hart  pursued  by  hunters  concealed 
himself  among  the  branches  of  a  Vine. 
The  hunters  passed  by  without  discover- 
ing him,  and  when  he  thought  that  all 
was  safe,  he  began  browsing 
upon  the  leaves  that  had  con- 
cealed him.  But  one  of  the 
hunters,  attracted  by 
the  rustling,  turned 
around,  and  guess- 
ing that  their  prey 


168      CTbc  "fceDge  anD  tbe 


was  there,  shot  into  the  bush  and  killed  him. 
As  he  was  dying,  he  groaned  out  these  words 
"I  suffer  justly  for  my  ingratitude,  who  could 
not  forbear  injuring  the  Vine  that  had  protected 
me  in  time  of  danger." 


FABI,E  CXXXVI. 

THE  HEDGE  AND  THE  VINEYARD. 

A  foolish  young  Heir  who  had  just  come  into 
possession  of  his  wise  father's  estate,  caused  all 
the  Hedges  about  his  Vineyard  to  be  grubbed  up 
because  they  bore  no  grapes.  The  throwing 
down  of  the  fences  laid  his  grounds  open  to 
man  and  beast,  and  all  his  vines  were  presently 
destroyed.  So  the  simple  fellow  learnt,  when  it 
was  too  late,  that  he  ought  not  to  expect  to 
gather  grapes  from  brambles,  and  that  it  was 
quite  as  important  to  protect  his  Vineyard  as  to 
possess  it. 


Cbe  ffoj  an£>  tbe  dfcasfc  169 


FABLE  CXXXV1I. 
THE  FOX  AND  THE  MASK. 

A  Fox  had  stolen  into  the  house  of  an  actor, 
and  in  rummaging  among  his  various  properties, 
laid  hold  of  a  highly-finished  Mask.  "  A  fine- 
looking  head,  indeed  !  "  cried  he  ;  "  what  a  pity 
it  is  that  it  wants  brains  !  " 

A  fair  outside  is  but  a  poor  substitute  for  in- 
ward worth. 


t7o    Gbc  dfatber  and  bis  C\vo  Baugbtcrs 

FABI,:E  CXXXVIII. 

THE  FATHER  AND  HIS  TWO  DAUGHTERS. 

A  Man  who  had  Two  Daughters  married  one  to 
a  Gardener,  the  other  to  a  Potter.  After  awhile 
he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Gardener's,  and  asked  his 
Daughter  how  she  was,  and  how  it  fared  with 
her.  "  Excellently  well,"  said  she  ;  "we  have 
every  thing  that  we  want ;  I  have  but  one  prayer, 
that  we  may  have  a  heavy  storm  of  rain  to 
water  our  plants."  Off  he  set  to  the  Potter's, 
and  asked  his  other  Daughter  how  matters  went 
with  her.  "  There  is  not  a  thing  we  want,"  she 
replied;  "and  I  only  hope  this  fine  weather 
and  hot  sun  may  continue,  to  bake  our  tiles." 
"Alack,"  said  the  Father,  "if  you  wish  for  fine 
weather,  and  your  sister  for  rain,  which  am  I  to 
pray  for  myself  ?  " 


Cbe  Iborse  an&  tbe  Xoafcefc  Bss    171 


FABI,E   CXXXIX. 

THE  HORSE  AND  THE  LOADED  ASS. 

A  Man  who  kept  a  Horse  and  an  Ass  was 
wont  in  his  journeys  to  spare  the  Horse,  and  put 
all  the  burden  upon  .the  Ass's  back.  The  Ass; 
who  had  been  some  while  ailing,  besought  the 
Horse  one  day  to  relieve  him  of  part  of  his  load  ; 
"Foi  if,"saidhe,  "you  would  take  a  fair  portion, 
I  shall  soon  get  well  again  ;  but  if  you  refuse  to 
help  me,  this  weight  will  kill  me."  The  Horse, 


Dorse  anD  tbe  Hoafcefc 


however,  bade  the  Ass  get  on,  and  not  trouble 
him  with  his  complaints.  The  Ass  jogged  on 
in  silence,  but  presently,  overcome  with  the 
weight  of  his  burden,  dropped  down  dead,  as  he 
had  foretold.  Upon  this,  the  master  coming  up, 
unloosed  the  load  from  the  dead  Ass,  and  put- 
ting it  upon  the  Horse's  back,  made  him  carry 
the  Ass's  carcase  in  addition.  "  Alas,  for  my 
ill  nature  !  "  said  the  Horse  ;  "by  refusing  to 
bear  my  just  portion  of  the  load,  I  have  now  to 
carry  the  whole  of  it,  with  a  dead  weight  into 
the  bargain." 

A  disobliging  temper  carries  its  own  punish 
ment  along  with  it. 


Cbe  Sicfc  Xion  173 


CXI,. 

THE  SICK   LION. 

A  Lion,  no  longer  able,  from  the  weakness  of 
old  age,  to  hunt  for  his  prey,  laid  himself  up  in 
his  den,  and,  breathing  with  great  difficulty, 
and  speaking  with  a  low  voice,  gave  out  that 
he  was  very  ill  indeed.  The  report  soon  spread 
among  the  beasts,  and  there  was  great  lamen- 
tation for  the  Sick  Lion.  One  after  the  othei 
came  to  see  him  ;  but,  catching  them  thus  alone, 
and  in  his  own  den,  the  Lion  made  an  easy  prey 
of  them,  and  grew  fat  upon  his  diet.  The  Fox, 
suspecting  the  truth  of  the  matter,  came  at 
length  to  make  his  visit  of  inquiry,  and  stand- 
ing at  some  distance,  asked  his  Majesty  how  he 
did?  "Ah,  my  dearest  friend,"  said  the  Lion, 
"  is  it  you  ?  Why  do  you  stand  so  far  from  me  ? 
Come,  sweet  friend,  and  pour  a  word  of  conso- 
lation in  the  poor  Lion's  ear,  who  has  but  a 
short  time  to  live."  "  Bless  you!  "  said  the 
Fox,  "  but  excuse  me  if  I  cannot  stay  ;  for,  to 
tell  the  truth,  I  feel  quite  uneasy  at  the  mark 
of  the  footsteps  that  I  see  here,  all  pointing 


174      £be  ^farmer  anD  tbe  Cranes 

towards  your  den,    and  none  returning    out- 
wards." 


Affairs  are  easier  of  entrance  than  of  exit ; 
and  it  is  but  common  prudence  to  see  our  way 
out  before  we  venture  in. 


FABLE   CXU. 

THE  FARMER  AND  THE  CRANES. 

Some  Cranes  settled  down  in  a  Farmer's  field 
that  was  newly  sown.  For  some  time  the  Far- 
mer frightened  them  away  by  brandishing  an 
empty  sling  a.t  them.  But  when  the  Cranes 
found  that  he  was  only  slinging  to  the  winds, 
they  no  longer  minded  him,  nor  flew  away. 
Upon  this  the  Farmer  slung  at  them  with  stones, 
and  killed  a  great  part  of  them.  "  Let  us  be 
off,"  said  the  rest,  "  to  the  land  of  the  Pygmies, 
for  this  man  means  to  threaten  us  no  longer^ 
but  is  determined  to  get  rid  of  us  in  earnest." 


FABI.E  CXUI. 
THE  EAGLE  AND  THE  JACKDAW. 

An  Eagle  made  a  swoop  from 
a  high  rock,  and  carried  off  a  lamb. 
A  Jackdaw,  who  saw  the  exploit, 
thinking  that  he  could  do  the  like, 
bore  down  with  all  the  force  he 


could  muster  upon  a  ram,  intending  to  bear  him 
off  as  a  prize.  But  his  claws  becoming  entangled 
in  the  wool,  he  made  such  a  fluttering  in  his 
efforts  to  escape,  that  the  Shepherd,  seeing 
through  the  whole  matter,  came  up  and  caught 


176  tTbe  GbirstE  pigeon 

him,  and  having  clipped  his  wings,  carried  him 
home  to  his  children  at  nightfall.  "  What  bird 
is  this,  father,  that  you  have  brought  us  ?  "  ex- 
claimed the  children.  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  if  you 
ask  himself,  he  will  tell  you  that  he  is  an  Eagle ; 
but  if  you  will  take  my  word  for  it,  I  know  him 
to  be  but  a  Jackdaw." 


FABi,E  cxun. 
THE  THIRSTY  PIGEON. 

A  Pigeon  severely  pressed  by  thirst,  seeing  a 
glass  of  water  painted  upon  a  sign,  supposed  it 
to  be  real ;  so  dashing  down  at  it  with  all  her 
might,  she  struck  against  the  board,  and,  break- 
ing her  wing,  fell  helpless  to  the  ground,  where 
she  was  quickly  captured  by  one  of  the  passers- 
by. 

Great  haste  is  not  always  good  speed. 


tlbe  Ibcifer  and  tbe 


177 


CXIJV. 

THE  HEIFER  AND  THE  OX. 

A  Heifer  that  ran  wild  in  the  fields,  and  had 
never  felt  the  yoke,  upbraided  an  Ox  at  plough 
for  submitting  to  such  labor  and  drudgery. 


Ifcmgbt 

The  Ox  said  nothing,  but  went  on  with  his 
work.  Not  long  after,  there  was  a  great  festival. 
The  Ox  got  his  holiday  ;  but  the  Heifer  was  led 
off  to  be  sacrificed  at  the  altar.  "  If  this  be  the 
end  of  your  idleness,"  said  the  Ox,  "  I  think 
that  ray  work  is  better  than  your  play.  I  had 
rather  my  neck  felt  the'yoke  than  the  axe." 


FABI.E  CXLV. 
THE  BALD  KNIGHT. 

A  certain  Knight  growing  old,  his  hair  fell 
off,  and  he  became  bald  ;  to  hide  which  imper- 
fection, he  wore  a  periwig.  But  as  he  was  riding 
out  with  some  others  a-huntiug,  a  sudden  gust 
of  wind  blew  off  the  periwig,  and  exposed'his 
bald  pate.  The  company  could  not  forbear 
laughing  at  the  accident ;  and  he  himself 
laughed  as  loud  as  anybody,  saying:  "How 
was  it  to  be  expected  that  I  should  keep  strange 
hair  upon  my  head,  when  my  own  would  not 
stay  there  ?  " 


ffoj  an£>  tbe  Stock  179 


FABLE  CXLVI. 

THE  FOX  AND  THE  STORK. 
A  Fox  one  day  invited  a  Stork  to  dinner,  and 
being  disposed  to  divert  himself  at  the  expense 
of  his  guest,  provided  nothing  for  the  enter- 
tainment but  some  thin  soup  in  a  shallow  dish. 
This  the  Fox  lapped  up  very  readily,  while 
the  Stork,  unable  to  gain  a  mouthful  with  her 
long  narrow  bill,  was  as  hungry  at  the  end  of 
dinner  as  when  she  began.  The  Fox  mean- 
while professed  his  regret  at  seeing  her  eat  so 
sparingly,  and  feared  that  the  dish  was  not 
seasoned  to  her  mind.  The  Stork  said  little, 
but  begged  that  the  Fox  would  do  her  the 


i8o    tlbe  falconer  an£>  tbe  partrt&qe 

honor  of  returning  her  visit  ;  and  accordingly 
he  agreed  to  dine  with  her  on  the  following 
day.  He  arrived  true  to  his  appointment,  and 
the  dinner  was  ordered  forthwith  ;  but  when  it 
was  served  up,  he  found  to  his  dismay  that  it 
was  contained  in  a  narrow-necked  vessel,  down 
which  the  Stork  readily  thrust  her  long  neck 
and  bill,  while  he  was  obliged  to  content  him- 
self with  licking  the  neck  of  the  jar.  Unable 
to  satisfy  his  hunger,  he  retired  with  as  good  a 
grace  as  he  could,  observing  that  he  could 
hardly  find  fault  with  his  entertainer,  who  had 
only  paid  him  back  in  his  own  coin. 


CXI,VII. 

THE  FALCONER  AND  THE  PARTRIDGE. 

A  Falconer  having  taken  a  Partridge  in  his 
net,  the  bird  cried  out  sorrowfully  :  "Let  me 
go  good  Master  Falconer,  and  I  promise  you  I 
will  decoy  other  Partridges  into  your  net." 
"No,"  said  the  man,  "whatever  I  might  have 
done,  I  am  determined  now  not  to  spare  you  ; 
for  there  is  no  death  too  bad  for  him  who  is 
ready  to  betray  his  friends." 


JBull  anD  tbe  Goat  181 


THE  BULL  AND  THE  GOAT. 

A  Bull  being  pursued  by  a  Lion,  fled  into  a 
cave  where  a  Wild  Goat  had  taken  up  its  abode. 
The  Goat  upon  this  began  molesting  him  and 
butting  him  with  his  horns.  "  Don't  suppose," 
said  the  Bull,  "  If  I  suffer  this  now,  that  it  is 
you  I  am  afraid  of.  Let  the  Lion  be  once  out 
of  sight,  and  I  will  soon  show  you  the  difference 
between  a  Bull  and  a  Goat." 


1)U6ban£>man  an&  tbe  Sea 


Mean  people  take  advantage  of  their  neigh- 
bors' difficulties  to  annoy  them  ;  but  the  time 
will  come  when  they  will  repent  them  of  their 
insolence. 


FABLE 
THE  HUSBANDMAN  AND  THE  SEA. 

A  Husbandman  seeing  a  ship  full  of  sailors 
tossed  about  up  and  down  upon  the  billows, 
cried  out :  "  O  Sea  !  deceitful  and  pitiless  ele- 
ment, that  destroyest  all  who  venture  upon 
thee !  "  The  Sea  heard  him,  and  assuming  a 
woman's  voice  replied  :  "  Do  not  reproach  me  ; 
I  am  not  the  cause  of  this  disturbance,  but  the 
Winds,  that  when  they  fall  upon  ine  will  give 
no  repose.  But  should  you  sail  over  me  when 
they  are  away,  you  will  say  that  I  am  milder 
and  more  tractable  than  your  own  mother 
earth," 


3ackass  in  ©tftce 


183 


ci,. 

THE  JACKASS  IN  OFFICE- 

An  Ass  carrying  an  Image  in 
a  religious  procession,  was  driv- 
en through,  a  town,  and  all  the 
people  who  passed  by  made  a 
low  reverence.  Upon  this  the 
Ass,  supposing  that  they  intend- 


ed this  worship  for  himself,  was  mightily  puffed 
up,  and  would  not  budge  another  step.     But  the 


1 84        tTbe  Bother  and  tbe  Sbeep 

driver  soon  laid  the  stick  across  his  back,  saying 
at  the  same  time  :  "You  silly  dolt !  it  is  not 
you  that  they  reverence,  but  the  Image  which 
you  carry." 

Fools  take  to  themselves  the  respect  that  is 
given  to  their  office. 

FABI/E    CLI. 

THE  PORKER  AND  THE  SHEEP. 

A  young  Porker  took  up  his  quarters  in  a  fold 
of  Sheep.  One  day  the  Shepherd  laid  hold  on 
him,  when  he  squeaked  and  struggled  with  all 
his  might  and  main.  The  Sheep  reproached 
him  for  crying  out,  and  said:  "The  master 
often  lays  hold  of  us,  and  we  do  not  cry." 
"Yes,"  replied  he,  "but  our  case  is  not  the 
same  ;  for  he  catches  you  for  the  sake  of  your 
wool,  but  me  for  my  fry." 


anD  tbe  jftlberts        185 

FABLE   CLH. 

THE  HOUND  AND  THE  HARE. 

A  Hound  after  long  chasing  a  Hare  at  length 
came  up  to  her,  and  kept  first  biting  and  then 
licking  her.  The  Hare,  not  knowing  what  to 
make  of  him,  said  :  "  If  you  are  a  friend,  why 
do  you  bite  me  ? — but  if  a  foe,  why  caress  me  ? 

A  doubtful  friend  is  worse  than  a  certain  ene- 
my; let  a  man  be  one  thing  or  the  other,  and 
we  then  know  how  to  meet  him. 


FABLE  CLIII. 

THE  BOY  AND  THE  FILBERTS. 

A  certain  Boy  put  his  hand  into  a  pitcher 
where  great  plenty  of  Figs  and  Filberts  were 
deposited  ;  he  grasped  as  many  as  his  fist  could 
possibly  hold,  but  when  he  endeavored  to  pull 
it  out,  the  narrowness  of  the  neck  prevented 
him.  Unwilling  to  lose  any  of  them,  but  un- 


iS6  tTbe  IRiD  an&  tbe 


able  to  draw  out  his  hand,  he  burst  into.  tears, 
and  bitterly  bemoaned  his  hard  fortune.  An 
honest  fellow  who  stood  by,  gave  him  this  wise 
and  reasonable  advice:  "Grasp  only  half  the 
quantity,  my  boy,  and  you  will  easily  succeed." 


FABI.E  ci,rv. 
THE  KID  AND  THE  WOLF. 

A  Kid  that  had  strayed  from  the  herd  was 
pursued  by  a  Wolf.  When  she  saw  all  other 
hope  of  escape  cut  off,  she  turned  round  to  the 
Wolf,  and  said :  "I  must  allow  indeed  that  I 
am  your  victim,  but  as  my  life  is  now  but  short, 
let  it  be  a  merry  one.  Do  you  pipe  for  awhile, 
and  I  will  dance."  While  the  Wolf  was  piping 
and  the  Kid  was  dancing,  the  Dogs  hearing  the 
music  ran  up  to  see  what  was  going  on,  and  the 
Wolf  was  glad  to  take  himself  off  as  fast  as  his 
legs  would  carry  him. 

He  who  steps  out  of  his  way  to  play  the  fool, 
must  not  wonder  if  he  misses  the  prize. 


tlbe 


187 


FABI.E;  ci<v. 
THE  QUACK  FROG. 

A  Frog  emerging  from  the  mud  of  a  swamp, 
proclaimed  to  all  the  world  that  he  was  come 
to  cure  all  diseases.  "  Here  !  "  he  cried,  "  come 
and  see  a  doctor,  the  proprietor  of  medicines 
such  as  man  never  heard  of  before  ;  no,  not 
^sculapius  himself,  Jove's  court-physician  !  " 
"  And  how,"  said  the  Fox,  "  dare  you  set  up  to 


2lnt  anfc  tbe 


heal  others,  who  are  not  able  to  cure  your  own 
limping  gait,  and  blotched  and  wrinkled  skin  ?  " 

Test    a  man's  professions   by  his  practice. 
Physician,  heal  thyself  ! 


FABI.E  CI,VI. 
THE  ANT  AND  THE  DOVE. 

An  Ant  went  to  a  fountain  to  quench  his 
thirst,  and  tumbling  in,  was  almost  drowned. 
But  a  Dove  that  happened  to  be  sitting  on  a 
neighboring  tree  saw  the  Ant's  danger,  and 
plucking  off  a  leaf  let  it  drop  into  the  water  be- 
fore him,  and  the  Ant  mounting  upon  it,  was 
presently  wafted  safe  ashore.  Just  at  that  time, 
a  Fowler  was  spreading  his  net,  and  in  the  ac} 
of  snaring  the  Dove,  when  the  Ant,  perceiving 
his  object,  bit  his  heel.  The  start  which  the 
man  gave  made  him  drop  his  net,  and  the  Dove, 
aroused  to  a  sense  of  her  danger,  flew  safe  away. 

One  good  turn  deserves  another. 


tlbe  Bss  in  tbe  Xion's  Shin      189 


FAB1,E 

ASS  IN  THE  LION'S  SKIN. 

An  Ass  having  put  on  a  Lion's  skin,  roamed 
about,  frightening  all  the  silly  animals  he  met 
with,  and,  seeing  a  Fox,  he  tried  to  alarm  him 
also.  But  Reynard,  having  heard  his  voice, 
said :  "  Well,  to  be  sure  !  and  I  should  have  been 
frightened  too,  if  I  had  not  heard  you  bray." 

They  who  assume  a  character  that  does  not 


<3oat  anfc  tbc  Gor.tberfc 


belong  to  them  generally  betray  themselves  by 
overacting  it. 


FABI,E  ci/c 
THE  GOAT  AND  THE  GOATHERD. 

A  Goat  had  strayed  from  the  herd,  and  the 
Goatherd  was  trying  all  he  could  to  bring  him 
back  to  his  companions.  When  by  calling  and 
whistling  he  could  make  no  impression  on  him, 
at  last,  taking  up  a  stone,  he  struck  the  Goat  on 
the  horn  and  broke  it.  Alarmed  at  what  he  had 
done,  he  besought  the  Goat  not  to  tell  his  mas- 
ter ;  but  he  replied  :  "  O  most  foolish  of  Goat- 
herds !  my  horn  will  tell  the  story,  though  I 
should  not  utter  a  word." 

Facts  speak  plainer  than  words. 


CIJX. 

THE  BOY  BATHING. 

A  Boy  was  bathing  in  a  river, 
and,  getting  out  of  his  depth, 
was   on  the   point  of  sinking, 
when   he  saw    a    wayfarer 
coming  by,    to    whom   he 
called  out  for  help  with  all 


his  might  and  main.  The  Man  began  to  read 
the  Boy  a  lecture  for  his  foolhardiness  ;  but 
the  urchin  cried  out :  "  O,  save  me  now,  sir  ! 
and  read  me  the  lecture  afterwards." 


192         Sbc  ffarmer  ano  tbe  Doge 


THE  FARMER  AND  DOGS. 

A  Farmer,  during  a  severe  winter,  being  shut 
up  by  the  snow  in  his  farm-house,  and  sharply 
pressed  for  food,  which  he  was  unable  to  get 
about  to  procure,  began  consuming  his  own 
sheep.  As  the  hard  weather  continued,  he  next 
ate  up  his  goats.  And  at  last  —  for  there  was  no 
break  in  the  weather  —  he  betook  himself  to  the 
plough-oxen.  Upon  this,  the  Dogs  said  to  one 
another,  "I^et  us  be  off;  f6r  since  the  master, 
as  we  see,  has  had  no  pity  on  the  working  oxen, 
how  is  it  likely  he  will  spare  us  ?  " 

When  our  neighbor's  house  is  on  fire,  it  is 
time  to  look  to  our  own. 


/ifeouse  anD  tbe  Ideasel      193 


FABI,E 

THE  MOUSE  AND  WEASEL. 

A  little  starveling  Mouse  had  made  his  way 
with  some  difficulty  into  a  basket  of  corn,  where, 
finding  the  entertainment  so  good,  he  stuffed 
and  crammed  himself  to  such  an  extent,  that 
when  he  would  have  got  out  again,  he  found 
the  hole  was  too  small  to  allow  his  puffed-up 
body  to  pass.  As  he  sat  by  the  hole  groaning 
over  his  fate,  a  Weasel,  who  was  brought  to  the 
spot  by  his  cries,  thus  addressed  him:  "Stop 
there,  my  friend,  and  fast  till  you  are  thin  ;  for 


iQ4         £be  farmer  au£>  tbe  Xion 

you  will  never  come  out  till  you  reduce  your- 
self to  the  same  condition  as  when  you  en- 
tered." 


ci/xn. 
THE  FARMER  AND  THE  LION. 

A  Lion  entered  one  day  into  a  farm-yard,  and 
the  Farmer,  wishing  to  catch  him,  shut  the 
gate.  When  the  Lion  found  that  he  could  not 
get  out,  he  began  at  once  to  attack  the  sheep, 
and  then  betook  himself  to  the  oxen.  So  the 
Farmer,  afraid  for  himself,  now  opened  the 
gate,  and  the  Lion  made  off  as  fast  as  he  could. 
His  wife,  who  had  observed  it  all,  when  she  saw 
her  husband  in  great  trouble  at  the  loss  of  his 
cattle,  cried  out  :  "You  are  rightly  served  ;  for 
what  could  have  made  you  so  mad  as  to  wish  to 
detain  a  creature,  whom,  if  you  saw  at  a  dis- 
tance, you  would  wish  further  off." 

Better  scare  a  thief  than  snare  him. 


ftbe  Cbarger  anb  tbe 


195 


GI.XIII. 

THE  CHARGER  AND  THE  ASS. 

A  Charger  adorned  with  his  fine  trappings 
came  thundering  along  the  road,  exciting  the 
envy  of  a  poor  Ass  who  was  trudging  along  the 
same  way  with  a  heavy  load  upon  his  back. 
"  Get  out  of  my  road  !  "  said  the  proud  Horse, 
"  or  I  shall  trample  you  under  my  feet."  The 
Ass  said  nothing,  but  quietly  moved  on  one  side 
to  let  the  Horse  pass.  Not  long  afterwards  the 
Charger  was  engaged  in  the  wars,  and  being 
badly  wounded  in  battle  was  rendered  unfit  for 


igfi         Gbe  JDrasier  an&  bis  Bog 

military  service,  and  sent  to  work  upon  a  farm. 
When  the  Ass  saw  him  dragging  with  great 
labor  a  heavy  wagon,  he  understood  how  little 
reason  he  had  had  to  envy  one  who,  by  his 
overbearing  spirit  in  the  time  of  his  prosperity, 
had  lost  those  friends  who  might  have  suc- 
cored him  in  time  of  need. 


FABLE  ci,xiv. 
THE  BRAZIER  AND  HIS  DOG. 

There  was  a  certain  Brazier  who  had  a  little 
Dog.  While  he  hammered  away  at  his  metal, 
the  Dog  slept ;  but  whenever  he  sat  down  to  his 
dinner  the  dog  woke  up.  "Sluggard  cur!" 
said  the  Brazier,  throwing  him  a  bone;  "you 
sleep  through  the  noise  of  the  anvil,  but  wake 
up  at  the  first  clatter  of  my  teeth." 

Men  are  awake  enough  to  their  own  interests, 
who  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  their  friends'  distress. 


Denus  anO  tbe  Cat 


197 


ci,xv. 
VENUS   AND   THB   CAT. 

A  Cat  having  fallen  in  love  with  a  young 
man,  besought  Venus  to  change  her  into  a  girl, 
in  the  hope  of  gaining  his  affections.  The 
Goddess,  taking  compassion  on  her  weakness, 
metamorphosed  her  into  a  fair  damsel  ;  and  the 
young  man,  enamoured  of  her  beauty,  led  her 
home  as  his  bride.  As  they  were  sitting  in 


IgS 


their  chamber,  Venus,  wishing  to  know  whether 
in  changing  her  form  she  had  also  changed  her 
nature,  set  down  a  Mouse  before  her.  The 
Girl,  forgetful  of  her  new  condition,  started 
from  her  seat,  and  pounced  upon  the  Mouse  as 
if  she  would  have  eaten  it  on  the  spot ;  where- 
upon the  Goddess,  provoked  at  her  frivolity, 
straightway  turned  her  into  a  Cat  again. 


What  is  bred  in  the  bone,  will  never  out  of 
the  flesh. 


FABLE  CLXVL 
THE  WOLF  AND  THE  LION. 

One  day  a  Wolf  had  seized  a  sheep  from  a  fold, 
and  was  carrying  it  home  to  its  own  den,  when 
he  met  a  Lion,  who  straightway  laid  hold  of  the 
sheep  and  bore  it  away.  The  Wolf,  standing  at 
a  distance,  cried  out  that  it  was  a  great  shame, 
and  that  the  Lion  had  robbed  him  of  his  own. 
The  Lion  laughed,  and  said  :  "I  suppose,  then, 
that  it  was  your  good  friend  the  shepherd  who 
gave  it  to  you." 


©reat  an£>  tbe  Xittlc  jftsbes   199 


FABI/E   CI,XVri. 

THE  GREAT  AND  THE  LITTLE  FISHES. 

A  Fisherman  was  drawing  up  a  net  which  he 
had  cast  into  the  sea,  full  of  all  sorts  of  fish. 
The  Little  Fish  escaped  through  the  meshes  of 
the  net,  and  got  back  into  the  deep,  but  the 
Great  Fish  were  all  caught  and  hauled  into  the 
ship. 

Our  insignificance  is  often  the  cause  of  our 
safety. 


Idolf  anD  tbe  (Boat 

FABI,E  CLXVIII. 
THE  BOYS  AND  THE  FROGS. 

A  troop  of  Boys  were  playing  at  the  edge  of  a 
pond,  when  perceiving  a  number  of  Frogs  in  the 
water,  they  began  to  pelt  them  with  stones. 
They  had  already  killed  many  of  the  poor  crea- 
tures, when  one  more  hardy  than  the  rest  put- 
ting his  head  above  the  water,  cried  out  to  them  : 
"Stop  your  cruel  sport,  my  lads  ;  consider,  what 
is  Play  to  you  is  Death  to  us." 


CI,XIX. 

THE  WOLF  AND  THE  GOAT. 

A  Wolf  seeing  a  Goat  feeding  on  the  brow  of 
a  high  precipice  where  he  could  not  come  at 
her,  besought  her  to  come  down  lower,  for  fear 
she  should  miss  her  footing  at  that  dizzy  height  ; 
"and  moreover,"  said  he,  "the  grass  is  far 
sweeter  and  more  abundant  here  below."  But 
the  Goat  replied  :  "  Excuse  me  ;  it  is  not  for  my 
dinner  that  you  invite  me,  but  for  your  own." 


Bss,  tbe  Coch,  an£>  tbe  Xlon   201 


CLXX. 

THE   ASS,    THE    COCK,  AND    THE  WON. 

An  Ass  and  a  Cock  lived  in  a  farm-yard  to- 
gether. One  day  a  hungry  Lion  passing  by  and 
seeing  the  Ass  in  good  condition,  resolved  to 
make  a  meal  of  him.  Now,  they  say  that  there 
is  nothing  a  Lion  hates  so  much  as  the  crowing 
of  a  Cock  ;  and  at  that  moment  the  Cock  hap- 
pening to  crow,  the  Lion  straightway  made  off 
with  all  haste  from  the  spot.  The  Ass,  mightily 
amused  to  think  that  a  Lion  should  be  frightened 
at  a  bird,  plucked  up  courage  and  galloped  after 


202 


him,  delighted  with  the  notion  of  driving  the 
king  of  beasts  before  him.  He  had,  however, 
gone  no  great  distance,  when  the  Lion  turned 
sharply  round  upon  him,  and  made  an  end  of 
him  in  a  trice. 

Presumption  begins  in  ignorance  and  ends  in 
ruin. 


CLXXI. 

THE  RIVERS  AND  THE  SEA. 

Once  upon  a  time  the  Rivers  combined 
against  the  Sea,  and  going  in  a  body,  accused 
her,  saying  :  "  Why  is  it  that  when  we  Rivers 
pour  our  waters  into  you  so  fresh  and  sweet, 
you  straightway  render  them  salt  and  unpalat- 
able ?  "  The  Sea,  observingthe  temper  in  which 
they  came,  merely  answered  :  "If  you  do  not 
wish  to  become  salt,  please  to  keep  away  from 
me  altogether." 

Those  who  are  most  benefited  are  often  the 
first  to  complain. 


Bs0  Carrying  Salt  203 

FABLE  c^xxn. 
THE  ASS  CARRYING  SALT. 

A  certain  Huckster  who  kept  an  Ass,  hearing 
that  Salt  was  to  be  had  cheap  at  the  sea-side, 
drove  down  his  Ass  thither  to  buy  some.  Hav- 
ing loaded  the  beast  as  much  as  he  could  bear, 
he  was  driving  him  home,  when,  as  they  were 
passing  a  slippery  ledge  of  rock,  the  Ass  fell 
into  the  stream  below,  and  the  Salt  being 
melted,  the  Ass  was  relieved  of  his  burden,  and 
having  gained  the  bank  with  ease,  pursued  his 
journey  onward,  light  in  body  and  in  spirit. 
The  Huckster  soon  afterwards  set  off  for  the 
sea-shore  for  some  more  Salt,  and  loaded  the 
Ass,  if  possible,  yet  more  heavily  than  before. 
On  their  return,  as  they  crossed  the  stream  into 
which  he  had  formerly  fallen,  the  Ass  fell  down 
on  purpose,  and  by  the  dissolving  of  the  Salt, 
was  again  released  from  his  load.  The  Master, 
provoked  at  the  loss,  and  thinking  how  he 
might  cure  him  of  this  trick,  on  his  next  jour- 
ney to  the  coast  freighted  the  beast  with  a  load 
of  sponges.  When  they  arrived  at  the  same 


204  £be  lion  ano  bis  ttbree  Councillors 

stream  as  before,  the  Ass  was  at  his  old  tricks 
again,  and  rolled  himself  into  the  water ;  but 
the  sponges  becoming  thoroughly  wet,  he  found 
to  his  cost,  as  he  proceeded  homewards,  that 
instead  of  lightening  his  burden,  he  had  more 
than  doubled  its  weight. 

The  same  measures  will  not  suit  all  circum- 
stances ;  and  we  may  play  the  same  trick  once 
too  often. 


FABLE 

THE  LION  AND  HIS  THREE  COUNCIL- 
LORS. 

The  Lion  called  the  Sheep  to  ask  her  if  his 
breath  smelt :  she  said,  Ay  ;  he  bit  off  her  head 
for  a  fool.  He  called  the  Wolf,  and  asked  him  : 
he  said,  No  ;  he  tore  him  in  pieces  for  a  flatter- 
er. At  last  he  called  the  Fox,  and  asked  him. 
Truly  he  had  got  a  cold,  and  could  not  smell. 

Wise  men  say  nothing  in  dangerous  times. 


JBlacfcamoor 


205 


THE  BLACKAMOOR. 

A  certain  Man  bought  a  Blackamoor,  and 
thinking  that  the  color  of  his  skin  arose  from 
the  neglect  of  his  former  master,  he  no  sooner 
brought  him  home  than  he  procured  all  manner 
of  scouring  apparatus,  scrubbing-brushes,  soaps, 
and  sand-paper,  and  set  to  -work  with  his  ser- 
vants to  wash  him  white  again.  They  drenched 
and  rubbed  him  for  many  an  hour,  but  all  in 
vain ;  his  skin  remained  as  black  as  ever ; 


206          abe  Sea=Stfce  travellers 

while  the  poor  wretch  all  but  died  from  the 
cold  he  caught  under  the  operation. 

No    human    means  avail    of  themselves  to 
change  a  nature  originally  evil. 


CI,XXV. 
THE  SEA-SIDE  TRAVELLERS. 

As  some  Travellers  were  making  their  way 
along  the  sea-shore,  they  came  to  a  high  cliff, 
and  looking  out  upon  the  sea  saw  a  Fagot 
floating  at  a  distance,  which  they  thought  at 
first  must  be  a  large  Ship  ;  so  they  waited, 
expecting  to  see  it  come  into  harbor.  As  the 
Fagot  drifted  nearer  to  the  shore,  they  thought 
it  no  longer  to  be  a  Ship,  but  a  Boat.  But 
when  it  was  at  length  thrown  on  the  beach, 
they  saw  that  it  was  nothing  but  a  Fagot  after 
all. 

Dangers  seem  greatest  at  a  distance ;  and 
coming  events  are  magnified  according  to  the 
interest  or  inclination  of  the  beholder. 


ftbe  XeoparD  anb  the  jfoj         207 


ci,xxvi. 
THE  LEOPARD  AND  THE  FOX. 

A  Leopard  and  a  Fox  had  a  contest  which 
was  the  finer  creature  of  the  two.  The  Leopard 
put  forward  the  beauty  of  its  numberless  spots ; 
but  the  Fox  replied  :  "  It  is  better  to  have  a 
versatile  mind  than  a  variegated  body." 


soS   £be  /ifconhefi  anD  tbe  tfisbermen 

FABLE  CLXXVII. 
THE  MONKEY   AND    THE    FISHERMEN. 

A  Monkey  was  sitting  up  in  a  high  tree,  when, 
seeing  some  Fishermen  laying  their  nets  in  a 
river,  he  watched  what  they  were  doing.  The 
Men  had  no  sooner  set  their  nets,  and  retired  a 
short  distance  to  their  dinner,  than  the  Monkey 
came  down  from  the  tree,  thinking  that  he 
would  try  his  hand  at  the  same  sport.  But  in 
attempting  to  lay  the  nets  he  got  so  entangled 
in  them  that,  being  well-nigh  choked,  he  was 
forced  to  exclaim  :  "This  serves  me  right ;  for 
what  business  had  I,  who  know  nothing  of  fish- 
ing, to  meddle  with  such  tackle  as  this?" 


Baste  ant)  tbe  JSeetle        209 


CI<XXVIII. 

THE  EAGLE  AND  THE  BEETLE. 
A  Hare  being  pursued  by  an  Eagle,  betook 
himself  for  refuge  to  the  nest  of  a  Beetle,  whom 
he  entreated  to  save  him.  The  Beetle  therefore 
interceded  with  the  Eagle,  begging  of  him  not 
to  kill  the  poor  suppliant,  and  conjuring  him, 
by  mighty  Jupiter,  not  to  slight  his  interces- 
sion and  break  the  law  of  hospitality  because 
he  was  so  small  an  animal.  But  the  Eagle,  in 
^vrath,  gave  the  Beetle  a  flap  with  his  wing,  and 
straightway  seized  upon  the  Hare  and  devoured 
him.  When  the  Eagle  flew  away,  the  Beetle 
flew  after  him,  to  learn  where  his  nest  was,  and 
getting  into  it,  he  rolled  the  Eagle's  eggs  out 
of  it  one  by  one,  and  broke  them.  The  Eagle, 
grieved  and  enraged  to  think  that  any  one 
should  attempt  so  audacious  a  thing,  built  his 
nest  the  next  time  in  a  higher  place  ;  but  there 
too  the  Beetle  got  at  it  again,  and  served  him 
in  the  same  manner  as  before.  Upon  this  the 
Eagle,  being  at  a  loss  what  to  do,  flew  up  to 
Jupiter,  his  Lord  and  King,  and  placed  the  third 
brood  of  eggs,  as  a  sacred  deposit,  in  his  lap, 


ftbe  JEagle  an&  tbe  ^Beetle 


begging  him  to  guard  them  for  him.  But  the 
Beetle,  having  made  a  little  ball  of  dirt,  flew  up 
with  it  and  dropped  it  in  Jupiter's  lap,  who, 
rising  up  on  a  sudden  to  shake  it  off,  and  forget- 
ting the  eggs,  threw  them  down,  and  they  were 
again  broken.  Jupiter  being  informed  by  the 
Beetle  that  he  had  done  this  to  be  revenged 
upon  the  Eagle,  who  had  not  only  wronged  him, 
but  had  acted  impiously  towards  Jove  himself, 
told  the  Eagle,  when  he  came  to  him,  that  the 
Beetle  was  the  aggrieved  party,  and  that  he 
complained  not  without  reason.  But  being  un- 
willing that  the  race  of  Eagles  should  be  dimin- 
ished, he  advised  the  Beetle  to  come  to  an  ac- 
commodation with  the  Eagle.  As  the  Beetle 
would  not  agree  to  this  Jupiter  transferred  the 
Eagle's  breeding  to  another  season,  when  there 
are  no  Beetles  to  be  seen. 

No  one  can  slight  the  laws  of  hospitality  with 
impunity  ;  and  there  is  no  station  or  influence 
however  powerful,  that  can  protect  the  oppres- 
sor, in  the  end,  from  the  vengeance  of  the 
oppressed. 


/Bban  anD  bis  Cwo  TiClives     211 


cr,xxix. 
THE  MAN  AND  HIS  TWO  WIVES. 

In  days  when  a  man  was  allowed  more  wives 
than  one,  a  middle-aged  bachelor,  who  could  be 
called  neither  young  nor  old,  and  whose  hair 
was  only  just  beginning  to  turn  gray,  must 
needs  fall  in  love  with  two  women  at  once,  and 
marry  them  both.  The  one  was  young  and  bloom- 
ing, and  wished  her  husband  to  appear  as  youth- 
ful as  herself;  the  other  was  somewhat  more 


bis  Gvvo 


advanced  in  age,  and  was  as  anxious  that  her 
husband  should  appear  a  suitable  match  for  her. 
So,  while  the  young  one  seized  every  opportu- 
nity of  pulling  out  the  good  man's  gray  hairs, 
the  old  one  was  as  industrious  in  plucking  out 
every  black  hair  she  could  find.  For  a  while 
the  man  was  highly  gratified  by  their  attention 
and  devotion,  till  he  found  one  morning  that, 
between  the  one  and  the  other,  he  had  not  a 
hair  left. 

He  that  submits  his  principles  to  the  influen- 
ces and  caprices  of  opposite  parties  will  end  in 
having  no  principles  at  all. 


Dine  anJ>  tbc  <3oat 


213 


CI.XXX. 

THE  VINE  AND  THE  GOAT. 
There  was  a  Vine  teaming  with  ripe  fruit  and 
tender  shoots,  when  a  wanton  Goat  came  up  and 
gnawed  the  bark,  and  browsed  upon  the  young 
leaves.  "  I  will  revenge  myself  on  you,"  said 
the  Vine,  "for  this  insult;  for  when  in  a  few 
days  you  are  brought  as  a  victim  to  the  altar, 
the  juice  of  my  grapes  shall  be  the  dew  of  death 
upon  thy  forehead." 

Retribution  though  late  comes  at  last 


214         Gbe  JBOE  anO  tbe  IRettle 


FABLE  CLXXXI. 

THE  SICK  KITE. 

A  Kite,  who  had  been  long  very  ill,  said  to  his 
mother,  "  Don't  cry,  mother  ;  but  go  and  pray 
to  the  gods  that  I  may  recover  from  this  dread- 
ful disease  and  pain."  "Alas  !  child,"  said  the 
mother,  "which  of  the  gods  can  I  entreat  for 
one  who  has  robbed  all  their  altars  ?  " 

A  death-bed  repentance  is  poor  amends  for 
the  errors  of  a  life-time. 

FABLE  CLXXXTI. 

THE  BOY  AND  THE  NETTLE. 
A  Boy  playing  in  the  fields  got  stung  by  a 
Nettle.  He  ran  home  to  his  mother,  telling  her 
that  he  had  but  touched  that  nasty  weed,  and  it 
had  stung  him.  "It  was  your  just  touching  it, 
my  boy,"  said  the  mother,  "that  caused  it  to 
sting  you ;  the  next  time  you  meddle  with  a 
Nettle,  grasp  it  tightly,  and  it  will  do  you  no 
hurt" 

Do  boldly  what  you  do  at  all. 


ftbe  ffoj  and  tbe  Crow 


CI,XXXIII. 

THE  FOX  AND  THE  CROW. 

A  Crow  had  snatched  a  goodly 
piece  of  cheese  out  of  a  window, 
and  flew  with  it  into  a  high  tree, 
intent  on  enjoying  her  prize.  A 
Fox  spied  the  dainty  morsel,  and 
thus  he  planned  his  approaches. 
"O  Crow,"  said  he,  "how  beau- 
tiful are  thy  wings,  how  bright 
thine  eye  !  how  graceful  thy  neck  ! 
thy  breast  is  the  breast  of  an  eagle  ! 
thy  claws — I  beg  pardon — 
thy  talons,  are  a  match  for 


216  XTbe  Gbree 

all  the  beasts  of  the  field.  O  !  that  such  a  bird 
should  be  dumb,  and  want  only  a  voice  !  "  The 
Crow,  pleased  with  the  flattery,  and  chuckling  to 
think  how  she  would  surprise  the  Fox  with  her 
caw,  opened  her  mouth  : — down  dropped  the 
cheese  !  which  the  Fox  snapping  up,  observed, 
as  he  walked  away,  "  that  whatever  he  had  re- 
marked of  her  beauty,  he  had  said  nothing  yet 
of  her  brains." 

Men  seldom  flatter  without  some  private  end 
in  view  ;  and  they  who  listen  to  such  music 
may  expect  to  have  to  pay  the  piper. 

FABLE  CLXXXIV. 
THE  THREE  TRADESMEN. 
There  was  a  city  in  expectation  of  being  be- 
sieged, and  a  council  was  called  accordingly  to 
discuss  the  best  means  of  fortifying  it.  A 
Bricklayer  gave  his  opinion  that  no  material 
was  so  good  as  brick  for  the  purpose.  A  Car- 
penter begged  leave  to  suggest  that  timber 
would  be  far  more  preferable.  Upon  which  a 
Currier  started  up,  and  said  :  "  Sirs,  when  you 
have  said  all  that  can  be  said,  there  is  nothing 
in  the  world  like  leather." 


Bss's  SbaDow 


217 


ci,xxxv. 
THE  ASS'S  SHADOW. 

A  Youth,  one  hot  summer's  day,  hired  an 
Ass  to  carry  him  from  Athens  to  Megara.  At 
mid-day  the  heat  of  the  sun  was  so  scorching, 
that  he  dismounted,  and  would  have  sat  down 
to  repose  himself  under  the  shadow  of  the  Ass. 
But  the  driver  of  the  Ass  disputed  the  place 
with  him,  declaring  that  he  had  an  equal  right 
to  it  with  the  other.  "  What !  "  said  the  Youth, 
"  did  I  not  hire  the  Ass  for  the  whole  journey  ?  " 
''Yes,"  said  the  other,  "you  hired  the  Ass,  but 


2iS          £be  Dogs  and  tbe  "bides 

not  the  Ass's  Shadow."  While  they  were  thus 
wrangling  and  righting  for  the  place,  the  Ass 
took  to  his  heels  and  ran  away. 


CI,XXXVI. 
THE  DOGS  AND  THE  HIDES. 

Some  hungry  Dogs,  seeing  some  raw  Hides 
which  a  skinner  had  left  in  the  bottom  of  a 
stream,  and  not  being  able  to  reach  them, 
agreed  among  themselves  to  drink  up  the  river 
to  get  at  the  prize.  So  they  set  to  work,  but 
they-  all  burst  themselves  with  drinking  before 
ever  they  came  near  the  Hides. 

They  who  aim  at  an  object  by  unreasonable 
means,  are  apt  to  ruin  themselves  in  the  at- 
tempt. 


Xion  an&  tbe  JSulls          219 


ci/xxxvn. 
THE  LION  AND  THE  BULLS. 

Three  Bulls  fed  in  a  field  together  in  the 
greatest  peace  and  amity.  A  Lion  had  long 
watched  them  in  the  hope  of  making  prize  of 
them,  but  found  that  there  was  little  chance  for 
him  so  long  as  they  kept  all  together.  He 
therefore  began  secretly  to  spread  evil  and  slan- 
derous reports  of  one  against  the  other,  till  he 


220         ftbe  iRaven  and  tbc  Swan 

had  fomented  a  jealousy  and  distrust  amongst 
them.  No  sooner  did  the  I/ion  see  that  they 
avoided  one  another,  and  fed  each  by  himself 
apart,  then  he  fell  upon  them  singly,  and  so 
made  an  easy  prey  of  them  all. 

The  quarrels  of  friends  are  the  opportunities 
of  foes. 


FABI,E  CLXXXVIII. 
THE  RAVEN  AND  THE  SWAN. 

A  Raven  envied  a  Swan  the  whiteness  of  her 
plumage  ;  and,  thinking  that  its  beauty  was 
owing  to  the  water  in  which  she  lived,  he  de- 
serted the  altars  where  he  used  to  find  his  live- 
lihood, and  betook  himself  to  the  pools  and 
streams.  There  he  plumed  and  dressed  himself 
and  washed  his  coat,  but  all  to  no  purpose,  for 
his  plumage  remained  as  black  as  ever,  and  lie 
himself  soon  perished  for  want  of  his  usual  food 

Change  of  scene  is  not  change  of  nature. 


tlbe  SbepberJ>  an&  tbc  Sea        221 


THE  SHEPHERD  AND  THE  SEA. 

A  Shepherd  moved  down  his  flock  to  feed 
near  the  shore,  and  beholding  the  Sea  lying  in 
a  smooth  and  breathless  calm,  he  was  seized 
with  a  strong  desire  to  sail  over  it.  So  he  sold 
all  his  sheep  and  bought  a  cargo  of  Dates,  and 
loaded  a  vessel,  and  set  sail.  He  had  not  gone 
fai  when  a  storm  arose ;  his  ship  was  wrecked, 


222        tEbe  Swallow  in  Cbancerg 

and  his  Dates  and  every  thing  lost,  and  he  hint 
self  with  difficulty  escaped  to  laud.  Not  long 
after,  when  the  Sea  was  again  calm,  and  one  of 
his  friends  came  up  to  him  and  was  admiring  its 
repose,  he  said,  "  Have  a  care,  my  good  fellow, 
of  that  smooth  surface,  it  is  only  looking  out 
for  your  Dates." 

FABLE  cxc. 
THE  SWALLOW  IN  CHANCERY. 

A  Swallow  had  built  her  nest  under  the  eaves 
of  a  Court  of  Justice.  Before  her  young  ones 
could  fly,  a  Serpent  gliding  out  of  his  hole  ate 
them  all  up.  When  the  poor  bird  returned  to 
her  nest  and  found  it  empty,  she  began  a  pitia- 
ble vailing  ;  but  a  neighbor  suggesting,  by  way 
of  comfort,  that  she  was  not  the  first  bird  who 
had  lost  her  young,  "  True,"  she  replied,  "but 
it  is  not  only  my  little  ones  that  I  mourn,  but 
that  I  should  have  been  wronged  in  that  very 
place  where  the  injured  fly  for  justice." 


©ID  Woman  anD  ber 


FABI/E  CXCI. 

THE  OLD  WOMAN  AND 
HER  MAIDS. 


A  thrifty  Old  Widow  kept 
two  Servant-Maids,  whom  she 
used  to  call  up  to  their  work 
at  cock-crow.  The  Maids  dis- 
liked exceedingly  this  early 
rising,  and  determined  be- 
tween themselves  to  ring  off 
the  Cock's  neck,  as  he  was  the  cause  of 
all  their  trouble  by  waking  their  mistress  so 


224    Cbc  ©ID  Xtloman  anfc  bcr 


early.  They  had  no  sooner  done  this,  than  the 
Old  Lady  missing  her  usual  alarm,  and  afraid  of 
oversleeping  herself,  continually  mistook  the 
time  of  da}T,  and  roused  them  up  at  midnight 

Too  much  cunning  overreaches  itself 


225 


•FASL&  cxcrr. 
THE  MISER. 

A  Miser,  to  make  sure  of  his  property,  sold  all 
that  lie  had  and  converted  it  into  a  great  lump 
of  gold,  which  he  hid  in  a  hole  in  the  ground, 
and  went  continually  to  visit  and  inspect  it. 
This  roused  the  curiosity  of  one  of  his  work- 
men, who,  suspecting  that  there  was  a  treasure, 
when  his  master's  back  was  turned  went  to  the 


226 


spot  and  stole  it  away.  When  the  Miser  re- 
turned and  found  the  place  empty,  he  wept  and 
tore  his  hair.  But  a  neighbor  who  saw  him  in 
this  extravagant  grief,  and  learned  the  cause  of 
it,  said  :  '  '  Fret  thyself  no  longer,  but  take  a 
stone  and  put  it  in  the  same  place,  and  think 
that  it  is  your  lump  of  gold;  for,  as  you  never 
meant  to  use  it,  the  one  will  do  you  as  much 
good  as  the  other." 

The  worth  of  money  is  not  in  its  possession, 
but  in  its  use. 


TffililC)  Boar  and  tbe  jfoj       227 


FABLE  cxcm. 


A  Wild  Boar  was  -whetting  his  tusks  against  a 
tree,  when  a  Fox  coming  by  asked  why  he  did 
so;  "For,"  said  he,  "I  see  no  reason  for  it  ; 
there  is  neither  hunter  nor  hound  in  sight,  nor 
any  other  danger  that  I  can  see,  at  hand." 
"  True,"  replied  the  Boar  ;  "but  when  the  dan- 


ger  does  arise,  I  shall  have  something  else  to 
do  than  to  sharpen  my  weapons.'1 

It  is  too  late  to  whet  the  sword  when  the 
trumpet  sounds  to  draw  it. 


FABI,E  CXCIV. 

THE  WOLF  IN  SHEEP'S  CLOTHING. 

A  Wolf,  once  upon  a  time,  resolved  to  dis- 
guise himself,  thinking  that  he  should  thus  gain 
an  easier  livelihood.  Having,  therefore,  clothed 
himself  in  a  Sheep's  skin,  he  contrived  to  get 
among  a  flock  of  Sheep,  and  feed  along  with 
them,  so  that  even  the  Shepherd  was  deceived 
by  the  imposture.  When  night  came  on  and 
the  fold  was  closed,  the  Wolf  was  shut  up  with 
the  Sheep,  and  the  door  made  fast.  But  the 
Shepherd,  wanting  something  for  his  supper, 
and  going  in  to  fetch  out  a  Sheep,  mistook  the 
Wolf  for  one  of  them,  and  killed  him  on  the 
spot. 


tlbe  Coasting  traveller 


229 


FABI/E  CXCV. 

THE  BOASTING  TRAVELLER. 

A  Man  who  had  been  travelling  in  foreign 
parts,  on  his  return  home  was  always  bragging 
and  boasting  of  the  great  feats  he  had  accom- 
plished in  different  places.  In  Rhodes,  for  in- 
stance, he  said  he  had  taken  such  an  extraordi- 
nary leap,  that  no  man  could  come  near  him; 


230         Gbe  Wolf  anfc  tbe 

and  he  had  witnesses  there  to  prove  it  "  Pos- 
sibly," said  one  of  his  hearers  ;  "but  if  this  be 
true,  just  suppose  this  to  be  Rhodes,  and  then 
try  the  leap  again." 

FABLE  CXCVI. 

THE  WOLF  AND  THE  HORSE. 

As  a  Wolf  was  roaming  over  a  farm,  he  came 
to  a  field  of  oats,  but  not  being  able  to  eat  them, 
he  left  them  and  went  his  way.  Presently  meet- 
ing with  a  Horse,  he  bade  him  come  with  him 
into  the  field;  "For,"  says  he,  "  I  have  found 
some  capital  oats ;  and  I  have  not  tasted  one, 
but  have  kept  them  all  for  you,  for  the  very 
sound  of  your  teeth  is  music  to  my  ear."  But, 
the  Horse  replied  :  "  A  pretty  fellow  !  if  Wolves 
were  able  to  eat  oats,  I  suspect  you  would  not 
have  preferred  your  ears  to  your  appetite." 

Little  thanks  are  due  to  him  who  only  gives 
away  what  is  of  no  use  to  himself. 


Stag  at  tbe  pool 


231 


CXCVII. 

THE  vSTAG  AT  THE  POOL. 


A  Stag  one  summer's  day 
came  to  a  pool  to  quench  his 
thirst,  and  as  he  stood  drink- 
ing he  saw  his  form  reflected 
in  the  water.  "What  beau- 


232  Gbe  Stag  at  tbe  jpool 

ty  and  strength,"  said  he,  "are  in  these  horns 
of  mine  ;  but  how  unseemly  are  these  weak 
and  slender  feet!"  While  he  was  thus  criti- 
cising, after  his  own  fancies,  the  form  -which 
Nature  had  given  him,  the  huntsmen  antl 
hounds  drew  that  way.  The  feet,  with  which 
he  had  found  so  much  fault,  soon  carried  him 
out  of  the  reach  of  his  pursuers  ;  but  the  horns, 
of  which  he  was  so  vain,  becoming  entangled  in 
a  thicket,  held  him  till  the  hunters  again  came 
up  to  him,  and  proved  the  cause  of  his  death. 

IrfOok  to  use  before  ornament. 


tlbe  ©ID  3Lion 


233 


cxcvin. 
THE  OLD  LION. 

A  I/ion  worn  out  with  years  lay  stretched 
upotJ  the  ground,  utterly  helpless,  and  drawing 
his  last  breath.  A  Boar  came  up,  and  to  satisfy 
an  ancient  grudge,  drove  at  him  with  his  tusks. 
Next  a  Bull,  determined  to  be  revenged  on  an 
old  enemy,  gored  him  with  his  horns.  Upon 
thi«  an  Ass,  seeing  that  the  old  Lion  could  thus 
be  treated  with  impunity,  thought  that  he 
would  show  his  spite  also,  and  came  and  threw 


t)unter  anfc  tbc 


his  heels  in  the  Lion's  face.  Whereupon  the 
dying  beast  exclaimed:  "The  insults  of  the 
powerful  were  bad  enough,  but  those  I  could 
have  managed  to  bear  ;  but  to  be  spurned  by  so 
base  a  creature  as  thou  —  the  disgrace  of  nature 
—  is  to  die  a  double  death." 


cxcix. 
THE  HUNTER  AND  THE  WOODMAN. 

A  Man  went  out  Lion-hunting  into  a  forest, 
where  meeting  with  a  Woodman,  he  asked  him 
if  he  had  seen  any  tracks  of  a  Lion,  and  if  he 
knew  where  his  lair  was.  "Yes,"  says  the 
Man,  "and  if  you  will  come  with  me  I  will 
show  you  the  Lion  himself."  At  this  the 
Hunter,  turning  ghastly  pale,  and  his  teeth 
chattering,  he  said  :  "  Oh  !  thank  you  ;  it  was 
the  Lion's  track,  not  himself,  that  I  was  hunt- 
ing." 

A  coward  can  be  a  hero  at  a  distance ;  it  is 
presence  of  danger  that  tests  presence  of  mind. 


anfc  tbc  Sculptor        235 


FABLE  CC. 
MERCURY  AND  THE   SCULPTOR. 

Mercury  having  a  mind  to  know  in  what 
estimation  he  was  held  among  men,  disguised 
himself  as  a  traveller,  and  going  into  a  Sculptor's 
work -shop,  began  asking  the  price  of  the 
different  statues  he  saw  there.  Pointing  to  an 
image  of  Jupiter,  he  asked  how  much  he  wanted 


236        flbercurg  an£>  tbe  Sculptor 

for  that.  "  A  drachma,"  said  the  image-maker. 
Mercury  laughed  in  his  sleeve,  and  asked . 
"How  much  for  this  of  Juno?"  The  man 
wanted  a  higher  price  for  that.  Mercury's  eye 
now  caught  his  own  image.  "Now,  will  this 
fellow,"  thought  he,  "ask  me  ten  times  as 
much  for  this,  for  I  am  the  messenger  of  heav- 
en, and  the  source  of  all  his  gain."  So  he  put 
the  question  to  him,  what  he  valued  that  Mer- 
cury at.  "Well,"  says  the  Sculptor,  "  if  you 
will  give  me  my  price  for  the  other  two,  I  will 
throw  you  that  into  the  bargain." 

They  who  are  over  anxious  to  know  how  the 
world  values  them,  will  seldom  be  set  down  at 
their  own  price. 


Idolf  an&  tbe  Sbepber&s     237 


CCI. 


THE  WOLF  AND  THE  SHEPHERDS. 

A  Wolf  looking  into  a  hut  and  seeing  some 
Shepherds  comfortably  regaling  themselves  on 
a  joint  of  mutton  —  "A  pretty  row,"  said  he, 
"  would  these  men  have  made  if  they  had 
caught  me  at  such  a  supper  !  " 

Men  are  too  apt  to  condemn  in  others  the 
very  things  that  they  practise  themselves. 


238 


Sstrcmomer 


FABLE  CCH. 
THE  ASTRONOMER. 


An  Astronomer  used 
to  walk  out  every  night 
to  gaze  upon  the  stars. 
It  happened  one  night 
that,  as  he  was  wander- 
ing iu  the  outskirts  of 
the  city,  with  his  whole 
thoughts  rapt  up  in  the 
skies,  he  fell  into  a  well. 
On  his  halloaing  and 
calling  out,  one  who 
heard  his  cries  ran  up  to 
him,  and  when  he  had 
listened  to  his  story, 
said  :  "  My  good  man, 
while  you  are  trying  to 
pry  into  the  mysteries 
of  heaven,  you  overlook 
the  common  objects  that 
are  under  your  feet" 


flMHer,  bis  Son,  anfc  tbeic  Bss  239 


FABI/E  CCIII. 
THE  MILLER,  HIS  SON,  AND  THEIR  ASS. 

A  Miller  and  his  Son  were  driving  their  Ass 
to  a  neighboring  fair  to  sell  him.  They  had 
not  gone  far  when  they  met  with  a  troop  of  girls 
returning  from  the  town  talking  and  laughing. 
"Look  there!"  cried  one  of  them,  "did you 


ever  see  such  fools,  to  be  trudging  along  the 
road  on  foot,  when  they  might  be  riding!" 
The  old  Man,  hearing  this,  quietly  bade  his  Son 


240  £be  filler,  bis  Soiu  an&  tbeir  Bss 

get  on  the  Ass,  and  walked  along  merrily  by  the 
side  of  him.  Presently  they  came  up  to  a  group 
of  old  men  in  earnest  debate.  "  There  !  ;"  said 
one  of  them,  "it  proves  what  I  was  a-saying. 
What  respect  is  shown  to  old  age  in  these  days? 
Do  you  see  that  idle  young  rogue  riding,  while 
his  old  father  has  to  walk  ? — Get  down,  you 


scapegrace  !  and  let  the  old  man  rest  his  weary 
limbs."  Upon  this  the  Father  made  his  Son 
dismount,  and  got  up  himself.  In  this  mannei 
they  had  not  proceeded  far  when  they  met  a  com- 
pany of  women  and  children.  "Why,  you  lazy 
old  fellow  ! "  cried  several  tongues  at  once,  "how 
can  you  ride  upon  the  beast,  while  that  poor 


Cbe  dlMller,  bis  Son,  an&  tbefr  Bss  241 


little  lad  there  can  hardly  keep  pace  by  the  side 
of  you."  The  good-natured  Miller  stood  cor- 
rected, and  immediately  took  up  his  Son  behind 
him.  They  had  now  almost  reached  the  town. 
''Pray,  honest  friend,"  said  a  townsman,  "is 


242  Cbe  /Bbiller,  bis  Son,  and  tbeir  Hss 

that  Ass  your  own  ?  "  "  Yes,"  says  the  old  Man. 
"  Oh  !  One  would  not  have  thought  so,"  said  the 
other, ' '  by  the  way  you  load  him.  Why,  you  two 
fellows  are  better  able  to  carry  the  poor  beast 
than  he  you  !  "  "  Any  thing  to  please  you,"  said 
the  old  Man  ;  "we  can  but  try."  So,  alighting 
with  his  Son,  they  tied  the  Ass's  legs  together, 


and  by  the  help  of  a  pole  endeavored  to  carry  him 
on  their  shoulders  over  a  bridge  that  led  to  the 
town.  This  was  so  entertaining  a  sight  that  the 
people  ran  out  in  crowds  to  laugh  at  it ;  till  the 
Ass,  not  liking  the  noise  nor  his  situation, 
kicked  asunder  the  cords  that  bound  him,  and, 
tumbling  off  the  pole,  fell  into  the  river.  Upon 
this  the  old  Man,  vexed  and  ashamed,  made  the 


/HMUer,  bis  Son,  an£>  tbeir  Bss  243 


best  of  his  way  home  again  —  convinced  that  by 
endeavoring  to  please  everybody  he  had  pleased 
nobody,  and  lost  his  Ass  into  the  bargain. 


INDEX. 


FABLK  PACK 

Angler  and  the  Little  Fish    .        .        .  Ixxii  ..  97 

Ant  and  the  Dove clvi  .  188 

Ant  and  the  Grasshopper       .        .        .  xii  .  32 

Arab  and  the  Camel                .        .        .  cxxvii  .  159 

Ass,  the  Cock,  and  the  Lion  .        .        .  clxx  .  201 

Ass  and  his  Driver cxxxiii  .  165 

Ass,  the  Fox,  and  the  Lion   .        .        .  cxxx  .  162 

Ass  and  the  Grasshopper      ...  xliv  .  66 

Ass  and  the  Lap-Dog      ....  Ivi  .  79 

Ass  in  the  Lion's  Skin    ....  clvii  .  189 

Ass  and  his  Masters        ....  cxxi  .  152 

Ass  Carrying  Salt clxxii  .  203 

Ass's  Shadow clxxxv  .  217 

Astronomer ccii  .  238 

B. 

Bald  Knight cxlv  .  178 

Bear  and  the  Fox     .        ...       .        .  xxviii  .  46 

Bees,  the  Drones,  and  the  Wasp  .        .  cxxxi  .  163 

Beeves  and  the  Butchers        ...  c  .  127 

Belly  and  the  Members  ....  bdv  .  89 

Birdcatcher  and  the  Lark      .        .        .  Ixxxvii  .  112 

Birds,  the  Beasts,  and  the  Bat      .        ,  cxxiv  .  155 

Blackamoor clxxiv  .  205 


246  TFtlDCJ 


FABLE 

PAGE 

Blind  Man  and  the  Whelp     .        .       . 

Ixiii 

.         88 

Boasting  Traveller  

cxcv 

.      229 

Bowman  and  the  I<ion    .... 

ii 

22 

clix 

191 

Boy  and  the  Filberts       .... 

cliii 

.      I85 

Boy  and  the  Nettle          .... 

clxxxii 

.      214 

Boy  and  the  Scorpion     .... 

iv 

•         24 

Boys  and  the  Frogs         .... 

clxviii 

.      ZOO 

Brazier  and  his  Dog        .... 

clxiv 

.      I96 

Bull  and  the  Goat    

cxlviii 

.     181 

Bundle  of  Sticks      

Ixxxii 

107 

C. 

Cat  and  the  Mice     ..... 

cii 

.     130 

Charger  and  the  Ass       .... 

clxiii 

•     195 

Cock  and  the  Jewel         .... 

xiii 

•      33 

Collier  and  the  Fuller    .... 

Hv 

•      77 

Country-Maid  and  her  Milk-Can  . 

xcix 

.     125 

Countryman  and  the  Snake  . 

xviii 

•      37 

Country  Mouse  and  the  Town  Mouse  . 

xxix 

•      47 

Crab  and  her  Mother      .... 

xlviii 

.      7° 

Creaking  Wheels     

xxvi 

44 

Crow  and  the  Pitcher      .... 

xlvii 

.      69 

D. 

Doctor  and  his  Patient  .... 

cxxiil 

,     154 

Dog,  the  Cock,  and  the  Fox  .                . 

XXX 

.      50 

Dog  in  the  Manger         .... 

cvi 

•     133 

Dog  and  his  Master         .... 

txxix 

.     104 

Dog  and  the  Shadow       .... 

xxiv 

•      43 

Dog  Invited  to  Supper    .... 

cxv 

.     143 

Dogs  and  the  Hides        .... 

clxxxvi 

.     218 

Dolphins  and  the  Sprat  .... 

Ixi 

,      86 

Ixv 

90 

Unfcej 

247 

E. 

FAELE 

PAGE 

Eagle  and  the  Arrow 

cv 

.      132 

Eagle  and  the  Beetle 

.     clxxviii 

.      209 

xvi 

^ 

Eagle  and  the  Jackdaw  .        .       . 

cxlii 

•JJ 
•      175 

F. 

Falconer  and  the  Partridge   . 

cxlvii 

.      ISO 

Farmer  and  the  Cranes  . 

cxli 

.      174 

Farmer  and  the  Dogs 

clx 

.      192 

Farmer  and  the  I,ion 

clxii 

•      194 

Farmer  and  his  Sons 

Ixxiii 

.         98 

Farthing  Rushlight 

Ixix 

•      94 

Father  and  his  Two  Daughters    . 

.   exxxviii 

.    170 

Fawn  and  her  Mother    . 

xiv 

•      34 

Fighting-Cocks  and  the  Eagle 

xxii 

.      41 

Fir-Tree  and  the  Bramble     . 

cxvii 

•    147 

ISO 

Fisherman  Piping  .... 

xix 

•     •*-o^r 

.     38 

Flies  and  the  Honey-Pot 

xxi 

.     40 

clxxxiii 

.      21"? 

Fox  and  the  Goat    .... 

V 

•^*o 

•     25 

Fox  and  the  Grapes 

i 

21 

Fox  and  the  Hedgehog  . 

cix 

.      136 

Fox  and  the  I/ion    .... 

XXV 

.      44 

Fox  and  the  Mask  .... 

.    cxxxvii 

.     169 

Fox  and  the  Stork  .... 

cxlvi 

.     179 

Fox  and  the  Woodman  . 

xlv 

•      67 

Fox  Without  a  Tail 

Ixviii 

•      93 

57 

Frogs  Asking  for  a  King 

.          cxvi 

Ot 

•     145 

\        G. 

Geese  and  the  Cranes     .        .        . 

.           xcv 

.      121 

Gnat  and  the  Bull    . 

civ 

.     132 

248 


FABLE 

PACK 

Goat  and  the  Goatherd  .... 

clviii 

.      190 

Goatherd  and  the  Goats 

xcviii 

.      124 

Goose  with  the  Golden  Eggs        .        . 

ex 

•      137 

Great  and  the  little  Fishes  . 

clxvii 

.       199 

Gull  and  the  Kite     

xxxii 

53 

H. 

Hare  and  the  Hound       .... 

lix 

.      84 

Hare  and  the  Tortoise    . 

xxxviii 

.      61 

Hares  and  the  Frogs       .... 

Ixx 

•      95 

Hart  and  the  Vine  

cxxxv 

.    167 

Hedge  and  the  Vineyard       .        . 

cxxxvi 

.     168 

Heifer  and  the  Ox  ..... 

cxliv 

177 

Hen  and  the  Cat      

xxxix 

62 

Hercules  and  the  Wagoner   . 

Ixvi 

•      91 

Herdsman  and  the  I^ost  Bull 

xc 

•     i'5 

Hound  and  the  Hare      .        .        . 

clii 

.     185 

Horse  and  the  Groom     .... 

xvii 

•      36 

Horse  and  the  I,oaded  Ass     .        .        . 

cxxxix 

.     171 

Horse  and  the  Stag  

Ixxxvi 

.     in 

House-Dog  and  the  Wolf 

xxxiii 

•      54 

Hunter  and  the  Fisherman  . 

cxiv 

.     142 

Hunter  and  the  Woodman    . 

cxcix 

•     234 

Husbandman  and  the  Sea 

cxlix 

.     182 

Husbandman  and  the  Stork  . 

Ixxiv 

•      99 

J- 

cl 

.     183 

Jupiter  and  the  Bee         .... 

xcvi 

122 

Jupiter  and  the  Camel    .... 

xlix 

.         70 

Jupiter,  Neptune,  Minerva,  andMomus 

xciii 

.     118 

K. 

Kid  and  the  Wolf    

viii 

.        28 

Kid  and  the  Wolf    

cliv 

,      186 

Kite  and  the  Pigeons      .... 

X 

.        30 

ITn&ej  249 


FABLE 

PAGE 

Lamb  and  the  Wolf                 i        .        . 

xlvi 

.      68 

Lark  and  her  Young  Ones     .        . 

cxviii 

.    148 

Leopard  and  the  Fox      .... 

clxxvi 

.    207 

Lion  and  Ass  Hunting    .... 

cxxxii 

.    164 

Lion,  the  Ass,  and  the  Fox  Hunting  . 

Iv 

78 

Lion,  the  Bear,  and  the  Fox 

cviii 

•    135 

Lion  and  Other  Beasts  Hunting  . 

xcvii 

.    123 

Lion  and  the  Bulls  

clxxxvii 

.    219 

Lion  and  his  Three  Councillors    . 

clxxiii 

.    204 

Lion  and  the  Dolphin     .... 

cxi 

.    138 

Lion  and  the  Fox     ..... 

H 

72 

Lion  and  the  Goat  .                ... 

cxxvi 

.    158 

Lion  in  Love     ...... 

Ix 

•      85 

Lion  and  the  Mouse        .... 

xxxi 

•      S2 

Ixxi 

.      96 

M. 

Man  Bitten  by  a  Dog      .... 

Ixxxv 

.    no 

Man  and  the  I/ion    .        .       .       .       . 

Ixxxiv 

<      IOQ 

Man  and  the  Satyr  

XX 

•      39 

Man  and  his  two  Wives  .... 

clxxix 

.      211 

Marriage  of  the  Sun        . 

ciii 

.      131 

Mercury  and  the  Sculptor     .        .        . 

cc 

•      235 

Mercury  and  the  Woodman  .        . 

xciv 

•     "9 

Mice  in  Council        

cvii 

•     134 

Mice  and  the  Weasels     .... 

cxxxiv 

.     166 

Miller,  his  Son,  and  their  Ass 

cciii 

•     239 

Mischievous  Dog      

Ixxxviii 

•     H3 

Miser  .                ...... 

cxcii 

Mole  and  her  Mother     .... 

Ixxv 

.      100 

Monkey  and  the  Camel  .... 

Ixvii 

•    92 

Monkey  and  the  Dolphin 

Ixxx 

.     105 

Monkey  and  the  Fisherman         .        . 

clxxvii 

.     208 

Moon  and  Her  Mother    .... 

xliii 

•       65 

250 


FABLE  PAGE 

Mountain  in  t,abor  .....  ix  .  29 

Mountebank  and  the  Countryman      .  cxiii  .  140 

Mouse  and  the  Frog       .        .  •     .        .  xxiii  .  42 

Mouse  and  the  Weasel   ....  clxi  .  193 

Mule   ........  xxxvii  .  60 

N. 

Nurse  and  the  Wolf        ....  Ixxviii  .  103 
O. 

Oak  and  the  Reed    .....  xcii  .  117 

Old  Hound        ......  xi  .  31 

Old  I,ion     .......  cxcviii  .  233 

Old  Man  and  Death         ....  cxxii  .  153 

pid  Woman  and  her  Maids    .        .        .  cxci  .  223 

Old  Woman  and  the  Physician     .        .  Ixxvi  .  101 

Old  Woman  and  the  Wine-  Jar      .        .  xlii  .  65 

One-eyed  Doe  ......  1  .  71 

P. 

Pomegranate,    the    Apple,    and   the 

Bramble      ......  xxxv  .  58 

Porker  and  the  Sheep     ....  cli  .  184 

Q. 

Quack  Frog:      ......  dv  .  187 

R. 

Raven  and  the  Swan       ....  clxxxviii  .  220 

Rivers  and  the  Sea  .....  clxxi  .  202 

S. 

Sea-side  Travellers  .....  clxxv  .  206 

Shepherd  and  the  Sea    ....  clxxxix  .  221 

Shepherd-Boy  and  the  Wolf  .       .       .  xl  63 


251 


FABLE  PAGB 

Sick  Kite   .......  clxxxi  .  214 

Sick  I,ion  .......  cxl  .  173 

Sick  Stag  .......  xli  .  64 

Stag  in  the  Ox-Stall        ....  liii  .  75 

Stag  at  the  Pool       .....  cxcvfi  .  231 

Swallow  in  Chancery      ....  cxc  .  222 

Swallow  and  the  Raven  ....  Ixxvii  .  102 

T. 

Thief  and  the  Dog  .....  cxx  .  151 

Thief  and  his  Mother     ....  ci  .  128 

Thirsty  Pigeon                  ....  cxliii  .  176 

Three  Tradesmen    .....  clxixiv  .  216 

Tortoise  and  the  Eagle  ....  xxxvi  .  59 

Travellers  and  the  Bear  ....  lii  .  73 

Travellers  and  the  Hatchet  .        .        .  cxxix  .  161 

Travellers  and  the  Plane-Tree      .        .  Ixxxix  .  114 

Trees  and  the  Axe  .....  Iviii  .  83 

Trumpeter  taken  Prisoner    .        .        .  cxii  .  139 

Two  Pots   .......  cxxv  .  157 

Two  Wallets      ......  xv  .  34 

V. 

Vain  Jackdaw  .....       .  vii  .  27 

Venus  and  the  Cat  .....  clxv  .  197 

Vine  and  the  Goat  .....  clxxx  .  213 

Viper  and  the  File  .....  xci  .  116 

W. 

Widow  and  the  Hen       ....  vl  .  26 

Widow  and  the  Sheep    ....  Ixxxiii  .  108 

Wild  Boar  and  the  Fox  ....  cxciii  .  227 

Wind  and  the  Sun   .....  Ivii  .  81 

Wolf  and  the  Crane        ....  iii  .  23 


252 


tfnfcej 


Wolf  and  the  Goat 
Wolf  and  the  Horse 
Wolf  and  the  Lamb 
Wolf  and  the  Lion 
Wolf  and  the  Sheep 
Wolf  and  the  Shepherd  . 
Wolf  and  the  Shepherds 
Wolf  in  Sheep's  Clothing 
Wolves  and  the  Sheep 


FABLE 

PAGB 

2OO 

cxcvi 

•      230 

. 

xxvii 

45 

clxvi 

108 

»        .       .       .  , 

Ixxxi 

'      fcy 

.     106 

icrd  . 

cxxviii 

.     160 

lerds 

cci 

•    237 

thing 

cxciv 

.     228 

•ep    . 

Ixii 

•      87 

1158  00862  4693 

' 


A     000  062  281     1 


